


The Love of a Hero (Working Title)

by nerdlizauthorette



Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), Martian Manhunter (Comics)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2018-06-01 16:06:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 59,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6526870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlizauthorette/pseuds/nerdlizauthorette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Cassie, being born half human and half Green Martian was never easy. Cassie knew deep down she was called to be hero. What she didn't expect was not having to go it alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue-A Hero's Heart

**Author's Note:**

> **There is a possibility of the rating going up due to violence.
> 
> If you love Martian Manhunter I hope you enjoy this fanfic. I started writing it because I felt J'onn needed a stronger story in the cartoon universe. Though the starting time line and team are based on Justice League the 2001 animated series, I try to bring in much more Martian elements. 
> 
> This my first major project and welcome constructive criticism. Though I'm writing for the love it I also want this piece to be a teaching tool to fine tune my writing style and abilities.  
> So enjoy!

Prologue- A Hero's Heart

It was another quiet day at the flower shop and Cassie was all but ready to go home. The news had been playing all day talking about Superman and the destruction of nuclear warheads. Another news piece on an incident in Gotham that was believed to be the work of the vigilante Batman. It was all people could talk about, vigilantes and aliens, how the universe was getting smaller, and whether aliens should live among them. Cassie never offered an opinion figuring her point of view was very much skewed. Would it be so terrible if humans were not on there own? She felt that most aliens probably felt like humans, they just wanted to live their life in peace. That's all she wanted at least. The rise of Superman and the Green Lanterns, however, brought up all sorts of questioning and even pockets of hate groups. Fear of the unknown was quietly working its way through the collective human conscious.

Cassie was gratefully leaving work for lunch when the breaking news bulletin came on from Metropolis. “This is Snapper Carr reporting to you live at what appears to be a crash landing of a meteor right here in the heart of Metropolis. Emergency response teams and Superman are here at the scene. Wait-something is happening-”

Cassie detoured to her favorite outdoor market just a few blocks away. It was a sunny June day in Brooklyn and the borough was alive and well. It was alive and well until in the sky came shooting towards Prospect Park. ‘Was that a meteor?’ Folks began to notice and point and stare. Cassie shielded her eyes watching it carefully as it became larger and heading into the ground a block away. The crowd quickly turned into a stampede fleeing the scene. Cassie was frozen in place and could only watch in horror. The meteor crashed obliterating the park and the buildings close to it. Cassie was knocked to the ground. A cloud of smoke billowed through the streets covering everyone in a thick layer of dust. Trees and buildings were lit on fire if not toppled over. Cracks in the earth radiated out in a mile radius of the meteor. In the thickness of the ashy air Emergency responders’ lights drew closer to the sight. Cassie could not shake this dreadful feeling. Her mind felt like it was being scanned and true terror consumed her. She realized this was not a meteor, it was a ship. This was an invasion. She pulled herself to her feet. The meteor exterior cracked and pressurized air released. In the mist of smoke and flames three long, thin, grey-white legs jutted out with a head much like a spider came crawling out. A red eye formed in the center and her nightmares were born. She only knew the spider like creature as a destroyer. It was what the Green Martians called out when Cassie was five years old and experienced her first invasion.

 

Several Years Back-  
Her father was D'carr Mollari. He would find out too late that he was the last generation of the great Martian race. Just as Mars became aware of the White Martians he had been one of the few voices crying out for the Green Martians to wake up out of their peaceful lull and realize the impending threat they were in. He was brought to council on charges of attempt to incite war and was banished from Mars. He crashed to Earth, alone and helpless.

Her mother, Mary Johnson, had just made the bold life decision to move to New York City. She was driving through Pennsylvania when she saw something in the sky crash into a field nearby. She could never explain to Cassie what drew her to it but she turned off the road and pulled over. D'carr's ship was still blazing hot when she approached. He phased out of it, bloody and disoriented. They both froze in fear of the other. He read her mind and quickly picked up her language. He telepathically spoke to her, 'I don't mean any harm. Please, I need help.' Maybe it was something in his plea, or maybe it was the honesty in his eyes that convinced her. Mary offered her hand and neither looked back. 

They moved to the Bronx hoping to blend in and D'carr took on a human appearance as Alex Mollari. As they grew to know each other, they fell in love. To both their surprise and fear, Cassie came along. To their relief, on the other hand, Cassie took on her mother's features. Cassie was born with fair skin, blue eyes, and just a little brunette hair. D'carr was amazed at his little one's strong mind and her instant connection to him. Though Cassie outwardly did not look like a Martian D'carr could tell she was going to have Martian abilities. As Cassie started to grow, however, D'carr and Mary had a hard time getting her to adjust to her growing telepathy and internal physiology. When Cassie was upset her eyes started to show red pigmentation and her skin would start to become green, or she would float, worse yet she would start to phase through objects. In her sleep, Cassie would mumble and D'carr realized it was the thoughts of other Martians back on Mars. All Green Martians were telepathically connected at birth which is why they were a peaceful race and abhorred war. Somehow his connection to them transferred to her as well. That connection nearly destroyed them.

It was the middle of the night on Earth and D'carr, unable to sleep, had taken his usual place next to Cassie who was sound asleep. He listened to her ramblings. Mary was asleep in the next room when the screams came. Cassie started screaming out as visions of Green Martians being killed filled her mind. D'carr gripped his head, trying not to scream out as well. He was helpless to their cries for help and grabbed her trying to break the connection to Mars. They watched in horror as White Martian battle ships or destroyers, as they became known as, took out the city and captured, tortured and killed the Green Martians. The White Martians were feeding off the Green Martians’ telepathic energy as food. Mary woke in a panic at the sound of Cassie screaming and D'carr weeping. She tried to get his attention but could not. Cassie would never forget watching those destroyers. Things became much worse as tall, black, skin covered buildings rose and had sacks pumping like a beating heart. Smoke poured out of the top blocking out the red sunlight. Cassie could only comprehend them as factories using Green Martians as fuel to burn into smoke. She felt every scream, every cry of pain and then the silence of death. The White Martians had committed genocide and the only ones in the universe who knew were too far away to do anything.

Present Day  
It had taken Cassie years to stop seeing the White Martians in her nightmares and now they were here on Earth. Someone finally noticed her and tried to get her attention. It was her next door neighbor Eleanor who was the sweet older woman Cassie would bring flowers to from work. She took Cassie's arm, “Dear child, we must go. It's not safe here.” Cassie snapped out of her daze and guided the woman back towards their apartment. However, it was only two blocks further away from the crash sight and the streets were full of pandemonium, abandoned cars and cracks like small ridges breaking up the earth. They dodged falling debris and waves of panicked individuals running from the scene. Cassie realized they were still too close and soon the invasion would be upon them and their building. She turned to Eleanor, “We have to get everyone out and into the basement at the School. I think it's our best chance.” The ground shook with every nearing step of the spider like destroyer. Cassie aided in knocking down doors and getting people to follow them out of the building. Eleanor lead the group as they worked their way around deserted cars. Most of the building was out and moving towards the school. The destroyer shot out a laser beam slamming the corner of their building causing a chunk of it to plummet to the ground. The staircase was exposed and Cassie saw a young mother and her daughter from 4B still in the building trying to get down the staircase. They were now trapped and completely exposed. Cassie froze when she heard the little girl's cry of panic at the sight of the destroyer.

Eleanor noticed the group falling behind and saw that they had begun to watch the scene unfold as well. Concerned for the group she called to Cassie, “There's nothing you can do! Keep moving!” Cassie knew she had a choice to make. Would she keep hiding and running away or face her fear head on? In that moment her skin turned pale green, her eyes red and she grew just a little taller. She used her fear and turned it to rage. Rage over the death of Mars and the boldness to go after Earth. She refused to watch death again, her nightmares were ending. She flew to the young mother and shielded her and her kids from more debris. She took the kids in her arms and the mother on her back and flew them to the group, who had just reached the school. Everyone was in awe of her change and the mother was crying tears of joy, “Thank you...oh God, thank you.” 

The earth shook again this time several buildings in the block collapsed with it. Another object grew out of the meteor shell. It was the factory. Black as death the factory began to pump out smoke, covering the sun. Cassie's heart raced, “Everyone, inside NOW! Get to the basement!” They did not hesitate and she went to the roof. She may not be able to save everyone but this building was not going to be touched. The first destroyer made it's way towards the school and Cassie flew full speed into the head. It shifted its attention to her and fired a laser at her. Cassie quickly dove out from under it only being nicked in the shoulder. She plunged into one of the long legs knocking it out from under itself and the destroyer crash to the ground. She used every last bit of pent up rage to smash through the other two legs rendering it inoperable.

A hole opened up on the side of the head and droves of White Martians came flooding out and Cassie became overwhelmed. The martians paused briefly, startled by her Green Martian appearance. To their knowledge there was only one Green Martian left and he was with the Imperium, their leader. They began speaking their native tongue as if calling out to another being. Cassie used the slight pause to her advantage taking out one and, using his gun, shot down four more. They snapped back at her and attempted to swarm her. She ran back towards the school using a torn up piece of road as a place to set up resistance. Cassie was shooting left and right but there was just too many of them. She glanced back at the school. Though Cassie told everyone to go to the basement they were still in the lobby watching her. The little girl she had saved was yelling to her to keep fighting. Eleanor was yelling as well, “You can do this! We believe in you!” Cassie used their support as fuel and prepared to take out the next wave. As the Martians ran down the street she flew straight at them and phased her way through them. Just as she had hoped they turned to fire at her and instead shot each other. She then swung back through at top speed slamming into the remaining ones fists out. Losing control of her abilities Cassie could not slow down and slammed into the street.

Finally, the military arrived and began shooting at the next destroyer that emerged. Cassie realized their weapons were useless and destroyer was making it's way towards the school. Another wave of victims were just ahead of it trying to find shelter. Cassie flew at it in phased form taking its attention of the crowd. Just as she got its attention she slammed into the side of the head. The destroyer rocked but did not fall. She could feel the blood trickling from her nose, hands and shoulder. How much longer could she hold out? Cassie saw the group of victims make it into the school. She had to hold out till her last breath, for them. Cassie went for another pass but this time she was unable to phase. She caught the laser full on sending her slamming into the ground in front of a tank. She could hear the soldiers’ voices crying out around her and radio messages being sent to the tank. “Metropolis has fallen!”

“Hope was on it's way! Superman and a group of heroes were spotted fighting back!” If Cassie could hang on just a little longer, maybe they would get to her. A few soldiers were trying to help her up when her eyes snapped open and she flew back at the destroyer. This time she slammed through two of the legs sending it crashing into the ground. As she was about to take on the next wave of Martians, she heard a whisper in the back of her mind, 'Everyone use the sunlight!' She had no idea who called it out or if she just heard a passing thought but it made sense. Why else the thick smoke blotting out the sun? Cassie in a last ditch effort flew out changing course. She went for the sky punching through the thick smoke. It began to create pockets of light along the road that the Martians would dodge or get burned by. She heard the soldiers’ cries for more. Cassie burnt through every last bit of energy creating a hole in the smoke which in turn created a pocket of light above the school keeping it protected. The people inside started to realize the damage that light was causing and started grabbing reflective surfaces, shining it into the mass of Martians. Cassie was running out of energy and the edges of her sight were growing dark. A sign of hope caught her eye when she saw two figures go crashing into the factory destroying it. She could only make out a blur of colors one green and one red. The sky was now clearing on it's own and she let go plummeting into the street.

As she recovered, she could just make out the school and saw the people cheering. Cassie barely got to her feet and went to take a step towards them when the loss of blood and general exhaustion won out and she fell back to the ground. Eleanor and the young mother came running towards Cassie pointing behind her and yelling for her to get up. They heard one of the soldier's radios declaring the capture of anything not human to be taken in as a suspect. Black SUVs began encircling the area. Cassie scrambled to her feet and tried to run but exhaustion blurred her vision. The soldiers she had fought alongside with were now turning in on her. She was surrounded. A man in a suit called to her, “We don't want to hurt you! Come quietly and everything will be okay!” Cassie had heard those words before. It was before they shot down her father in cold blood. She tried to fly or phase but she was too drained. Men in suits were closing in past the soldiers releasing them, “Thank you, we'll take her in.” Cassie made one last ditch effort and ran towards the last line of soldiers and phased through them only to be caught by a retractable taser. The last thing she saw was the hint of the moon coming out as the sun began to set before going black. 

The White Martians' invasion of Earth shocked humans to their core. Some in government believed that humans needed weapons of their own to stop these powerful beings. The capture of aliens became a priority. Some were studied, deemed undesirable and destroyed while others became test subjects. STAR Labs was particularly interested in Cassie because she was a hybrid of both human and martian DNA. They raided Cassie's apartment bagging and tagging anything they deemed important. Those she had saved who tried to question the suits were silenced. Cassie no longer existed in the eyes of the government. It would be the last time she would see the sky for months.


	2. The Powers of Hate and Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Cassie, being born half human and half Green Martian was never easy. Cassie knew deep down she was called to be hero. What she didn't expect was not having to go it alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **There is a possibility of the rating going up due to violence.

Chapter 1- The Powers of Hate and Hope

Cassie began to feel the cold damp concrete floor beneath her pale green skin. Arriving here was a blur. She had tried to escape from the black SUV during transport and was met with a thousand volts of electricity knocking her out the rest of the trip. Her eyes began to painfully slide open and she realized she was in a bulletproofed room with translucent walls and door. Off to her left was a cot like bed with white starched sheets. There was a small curtained area with a toilet and sink peeking out of it. The room was a glorified jail cell. Where was she? Horror rushed through her veins as her eyes began to scan past the clear glass walls. It was a spotless, white sterile lab that was equipped with medical tools surrounding an operating table. There was large industrial-grade medical equipment lining the walls and a counter on the furthest wall next to a set of stairs that lead up out of her sight. On the counter was a clear glass fridge filled with vials next to a centrifuge prepped with blood. There were multiple screens projecting her DNA, a mapping of her brain activity, biometrics and her skeletal structure. She tried to breath and the air reeked of rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer. 

She became aware of her body. The dried blood had been cleaned from her skin and her clothes had been changed to medical scrubs. She noticed a couple of needle punctures on her left arm, one probably for blood work given its proximity to a vein, one in her shoulder and one in her hand most likely from an intravenous line. The bruises on her had started to fade along the edges. How long had she been unconscious for? It was apparent that she was out long enough to have been cleaned up from the fight. What were they planning to use her for? 

Cassie's fight or flight response kicked in allowing her to phase through the floor but the floor was charged and she was met with a thousand volts forcing her to retreat and become solid again. Through her painful gasps for air and searing discomfort she heard footsteps calmly walk towards her. The cell door slid open with no more than a click of being in place. Cassie pushed through the pain and opened her eyes. She was met by a pair of clean black boots. They seemed so familiar to her, she could not place why but the boots in particular would haunt her. Her eyes kept moving upward to his black dress pants following up to a bleach white lab coat sitting over a light grey dress shirt. The collar of the shirt sat open and in the breast pocket was a pocket protector with a sharpie, a prepped but capped needle, and some pens and pencils. Around the neck hung a stethoscope. The man was above average height with an athletic build to him. Cassie never noticed his eyes or more than likely she internally felt the need to avoid his relentless gaze. His hair was crew cut and jet black just like the boots. The boots belonged to Dr. Drake whose voice felt like nails on chalkboard. She could not help but have a gut wrenching disgust of him. What was it about those boots? He leaned down and with a gentle smirk addressed her, “My dear Cassie, though I am glad to see you awake, it's best you remain calm and try not to escape. A rare beauty as yourself- a hybrid of martian and human...” There was a carnal glow to his eyes and like a serpent to his prey he gently hissed into her ear,”...well, I don't want you to hurt yourself.” He took the needle from his pocket and removed the cap. Leaning in just inches from her he whispered huskily, “This is my own cocktail of sedatives made just for you.” He gently touched her shoulder and she tried to resist but was too weak and the needle slid in. He caressed her cheek and in a low voice he said, “Just relax now.” She watched helplessly as he sharply turned and left, the door closing shut behind him. The taps of his footsteps reverberated through her bones. A deep depression welled within her; she was sealed in, the rat stuck in a cage. She tried to fight against the heaviness of her body succumbing to the serum but she was no match and everything went black.

Above earth…   
The White Martian Invasion had decimated several cities and the now newly formed Justice League was assisting in the effort. Above Earth Batman, or more specifically Wayne Enterprises, built a fully functional space station. Named The Watchtower it was built to predict future alien events outside the Earth’s atmosphere and even some domestic events back on the planet. The Watchtower came with a fully equipped kitchen, training gyms, a state of the art medical bay, command center and individual apartments for live in residents. J’onn having only recently arrived had no place on Earth and happily called the Watchtower home. With him being the only one with the least amount of real world obligations he spent most of his time in the command center monitoring Earth and the restoration projects. Although his newly formed family had welcomed him with open arms he still felt separate of them. Years of being alone with the heartache of losing his family and race as his constant companion made it difficult to connect with the others. On the day of the invasion when J’onn telepathically called out to all of Earth’s heroes he thought that he had connected with another telepath briefly. However, as search and rescue went under way no one had stepped out. J'onn had followed one lead from Flash in Brooklyn were witnesses described a woman of green skin fighting off the White Martians but the trail went cold or, as he suspected, people were hushed up. During all the interviews there was a constant sense of fear and many people were lying to him. Anyone else connected had died in post invasion clean up. J’onn in an attempt of good will was limited in using his telepathic abilities on humans and thus the trail went cold. Whoever she was, she was most likely gone. Though looking down from the Watchtower the planet appeared small, it was actually quite large. J’onn had tried a few times to integrate by taking on a human appearance and spend time among them but all he could sense was the overall loathing humans had towards aliens. This made J’onn want to isolate and withdraw from them all the more. The only things he looked forward to were missions with his friends and the warmth they brought into his life.

Back at the Lab...  
Cassie had no concept of time except when Dr. Drake left for the night. The security team was made up of five men, four who were older gentlemen, pros of their profession, and one younger man who had just been hired to the security firm. They were an outsourced security team for the overnight shift and was not as watchful about her doses of sedatives as the STAR Labs team was. This allowed her to have brief moments of clarity and alertness. Knowing that the floor and walls of her cell were electrified from previous escape attempts, she decided to abide her time till she could make a better move. Over the weeks she studied what she could of the layout of the lab and the routines of the guards. She learned the only entrance or exit from the lab was a set of stairs at the back and at the top you needed a security card to unlock what sounded like a solid steel door. The security team did not ask questions or seemed much interested in the work that was going on in the lab except for the younger one. Cassie could not shake the feeling that he genuinely cared about her health. He also generally opted to be the one to administer the sedatives. There was a concern he carried behind his blue eyes. Most nights the guards would change one of the screens to watch the news and she would listen closely. Two nights ago the news had done a special report on the aftermath of the White Martian Invasion naming off those who had died and her heart sank. Eleanor Dertosky was named. Cassie's across the hall neighbor who she had brought flowers to. The only human who had cared for her. But Eleanor was alive when she was taken. Had these men been responsible for it? Eleanor would have never let them take Cassie quietly and must have gotten in the way. Cassie blamed herself. If she had not decided to play hero, Eleanor would still be alive. It seemed that every time she decided to try to be a hero someone died for it. She was utterly alone and left to the desires of Dr. Drake. The tears came with no resistance. Cassie had abandoned all hope of seeing anything beyond the lab walls. What was the point if these monsters were going to kill anyone in the way? The younger guard noticed her staggered breathing and nudge another guard for a needle. Cassie’s physical bruises had long since faded but her spirit and will to fight were broken. She was on the verge of accepting her fate there. The guards approached her, two on the ready with tasers one at the cell door and the younger one with the needle. He leaned in close to her and as he gave the shot he whispered, “Don't lose hope. Be patient just a little longer.” His words echoed in her mind as she blacked out.

Past...  
It was spring time in Central Park and Cassie was five again. It had been several months after the death of Mars and the tragic death of Mary. D'carr, heartbroken in every way, focused all his attention on Cassie and giving her a life as close to normal as he could. She was the only thing he had worth living for. For Cassie spring was her favorite time because he would take the day off and they would spend the day at the park. She loved seeing the trees bud, the grass become a fresh shade of green, and the smell of fresh air. At night her father would lay out a blanket and the two would look up at the stars. D'carr would point out all the constellations and from there determine the position of Mars. He would tell her stories every night about how beautiful Mars was and the history of the Martians. He would always be proud of Mars especially now that she was gone. One particular late night on the walk home Cassie fell scraping her knee and began to cry. Her father scooped her up into his arms. He looked at the knee, kissed it gently sending all his love to her. She felt this overwhelming warmth hug her mind. He telepathically whispered, 'It hurts now, but it will fade and you'll be all the stronger for it.'

Present...  
The next night Cassie awoke to the soft caress of her starched sheets and thin mattress underneath. Someone had taken great care throughout the day to clean her up and get her into the bed. It should have made Cassie feel better, being taken care of, but instead she felt violated and filthy. What had happened during the day? What had Dr. Drake done that he would have kept her unconscious the entire day for? She tried to focus on any memory from the day but her own subconscious fought back pushing her into a mental block. Maybe it was better she did not know. She heard the guards laughing and feigned still being passed out. She did not want to attract their attention. She carefully peeked open one eye and looked towards the guards. She watched a news piece that the guards were becoming heavily invested in. Shots of a collapsed building in the background and several office workers being treated covered screen. It then went to shots of the same office men being flown down by a tall well built green man. Who was he? Her attention was diverted when she heard the younger guard ask, “So what's Dr. Drake doing with her anyways? Does it have to do with all these aliens taking up residence on Earth?” One of the older ones shushed him, “In this line of work the less you know the better. All you gotta know is that she and anything remotely like her are dangerous unless we find a way to control them. As for Dr. Drake's personal interest, well we're paid not to ask questions.” Cassie felt a pit in her stomach and fought the urge to throw up at the thought of Dr. Drake's “Personal Interest.”

The news anchor's voice came over the guard's conversation and Cassie's ears perked up wanting to forget the chill that had crawled up her spine. “This is Snapper Carr with today's report. Another rescue by the Justice League was underway in Portsmouth today where several men were rescued by League member Martian Manhunter. Witnesses say the Martian was able to phase through the walls and fly the men out just as the building collapsed. An investigation into the cause of the collapse is underway. Though not much is known about the Martian, it is rumored he is the last man of Mars. Having survived the White Martian Invasion of his own race he came to Earth to warn of their coming...”

Hope. For the first time in months Cassie thought she saw a glimmer of light at the end of this dark tunnel. She was not alone. She kept a keen eye on the picture of the Manhunter. She had not made the connection sooner because of his closer to-humanoid form. She remember one of her father's bedtime stories of the Manhunters. On Mars they were the defenders of the Martians, much like Earth’s police force. Rumored to be genetically modified to be the best of the best, their natural abilities were that of ten Martians. Sworn to protect all life, they lived with valor and honor. If this Martian was truly a Manhunter he may be strong enough to hear her. There was chance if she could focus on a brief phrase and image he might pick up on it. The long exposure to Dr. Drake's serum had created a block on her telepathic abilities but she had to try. After all, just knowing he existed brought hope powerful enough to bring life back into her bones. Cassie was trying to push through the drugged haze but realized she was going to need a stronger emotion to amplify her powers. Pain and anger were always strong motivators for her. She allowed thoughts of Dr. Drake touching her, studying her, the needles, the death of Eleanor to fuel her emotional fire. The anger surmounted and her abilities tried to kick in. The inhibitor drugs pushed back. Blood started to trickle out her nose. She was going to have to go deeper. She thought about one of the worst night of her life.

J'onn and Batman were flying back from the Portsmouth disaster in their usual silence. The media and attention that J'onn received after the rescue was overwhelming and he had to leave the scene immediately. Batman followed suit eager to get back to Gotham and deal with his investigation into the Star Labs Facilities. He had received word that the lab was harboring an enhanced human against their will. His last communication with his man on the inside concerned him. His man had become one of the security team and he was no longer able to stomach what he saw. Batman decided he needed to see for himself what was going on. Batman had asked J'onn to join him in scouting out the lab and try to make contact. J’onn was more than eager to assist. He welcomed the cool breeze as he flew through the air. Batman's request had intrigued him. He knew what being locked up against one's will felt like and did not wish that upon anyone. Batman was checking in with Alfred on their coordinates in the bat-jet as J'onn flew just above him. They were only minutes outside of Gotham.

The Past...  
Cassie was sixteen and on the run. D'carr, in a previous incident became his true Martian form to save his daughter’s identity. This had led to the two being pursued by men they could only identify by their black suits. Trying to lay low D’carr had moved them to Brooklyn and enrolled Cassie in a new high school. For three years they managed to stay under the radar, however, today everything would change. Cassie was outside in the school yard talking to her lab partner, the only girl in the school who had reached out to her. One of the boys had gone out of his way to torment the two on a daily basis and bored with using his words only to have the lab partner throw them back at him decided to use his fist and hit her in the jaw. He taunted, “Got nothing smart to say now do ya?” Unable to just standby and let it happen Cassie jumped in, “Why don't you just leave before things get worse.” He laughed, “Try and stop me.” She jumped in front of the next punch taking it to the face and her emotions became unchecked. She recovered and went full speed for his torso, throwing her shoulder into him and the two slammed into the ground. The tar cracked underneath them and she thought she heard a cracked come from his spine. It was the first time she experienced her Martian strength. He was thrashing and yelling trying to knock her off. He struggled under her pressure and she grabbed his collar pulling his face up to her. He tried to claw at her wrists holding his shirt and she punched the kid cracking his cheekbone. Her adrenaline began to pump and her skin went green and eyes red. The boy was screaming out in pain grasping for his face. Terrified of her, kids went running into the school calling for teachers to step in. Before long the police were called and approaching the scene. The scream of her lab partner’s terror snapped her out of it. She stepped away from the boy horrified by what she had done. She tried to help him but he shrank from her in sheer horror. It was too late for her to fix this. STAR Labs had picked up on the call through the police scanners and were in pursuit. She saw the approaching flashing lights and ran calling for D'carr who dropped everything to get to her. In an attempt of being a hero she had become a monster. She ran as fast as she could but took a wrong turn and got blocked in an alleyway. D’carr spotted her from above and landed in front of her. He turned fully Martian prepared to fight. The police seemed to back off in terror at the sight of him. He took their hesitation as a means of escape and grabbed Cassie flying up and out of the alley. 

D'carr could hear the sound of the oncoming helicopters. He spoke hurriedly, “Cassie, I need you to run and just keep running. I'm going to draw them away and once I'm safe I'll come find you. Do you understand?” Cassie's eyes widened in terror at the sight of the oncoming SWAT chopper. She could not focus on his words. D'carr could tell his window of time to have her be able to escape was whittling away. Frustrated he commanded Cassie's attention, “Promise me, you’ll run!” Cassie could only manage to nod. He had made it to the river when the first shot came from the helicopter. It was clearly a warning shot not meant to harm them. He saw a boat just beyond the Brooklyn Bridge pursuing them as well. He changed direction heading for the Manhattan side of the East River. Spotting a vacant pier he went to land but another shot fired and he slammed hard into the pier instead. The helicopter was coming in close as the boat as swung back towards them. D’carr had been hit in arm and took most of the fall damage, shielding Cassie with his own body. He knew he would not be able to outrun them. 

She tried to help him up but he brushed her off, “You have to run now! Go!” She went to refuse him when the next shot came. D’carr moved pushing Cassie out of the bullet range and was hit in the back of the leg. He grabbed her shoulders, “GO!” With one last longing look to him she ran until she felt her father break their telepathic connection. She turned back trying to see him. She watched frozen in terror as her father flew up to the helicopter and slam a fist into the nose of it sending it down towards the water. Shots started firing from the boat. The helicopter tried to pull back up and one of the blades clipped D’carr. He slammed on it again this time punching through the exterior shell and pulling out the electrical guts of it. Those inside jumped out dropping into the river. The helicopter was spirally out of control and slammed into the water just beyond them. The boat was nearly upon D’carr when he still sensed Cassie nearby. He connected with her and she felt his terror and realized he was not coming out of this alive. She started to run back towards him when he mentally scolded her, 'Don't. You have to go! Cassie, you have to live.' He went for the ship when another gunshot sent him plummeting into the pier cracking the cement. She mentally stayed with him. He was too tired to block her out. She felt and watched the life starting to drain from his eyes. The last thing they saw was a pair of boots standing just by D’carr’s eyes. He telepathically whispered to her, 'I love you...' She felt the break from him. she was alone. The last thing she would remember was those boots.

The Present...  
The boots, they were his boots. Dr. Drake was there. He was involved in her father’s death. He tore her apart everyday mentally pushing her boundaries to see what her limits were. He had drained gallons of blood from her for several weeks. He had her put through all sorts of simulations to gauge her emotions to her abilities. Those boots- the same boots. He was responsible for her father’s death. He wanted to see her raw power, and now he was going to. The probing, the lustful glances, the endless amount of needles, the invasion of her life fueled her rage. Eleanor. She would never see her smile at the flowers again. Her blood was on his hands as well. Those black boots, shined to a point you could see yourself in them. What had her father died for? What happened to her on that missing day? The rage turned into an inferno allowed her to slam through the mental block that the drugs caused. She was not going to allow her father’s death to be for nothing, she was ending this. Blood now ran from her nose and her eyes grew hot red as she telepathically cried out, 'Find me! Please...'

Batman and J'onn were only a few clicks away from their landing point when J'onn felt a stab of pain through the back of his head. Mixed images flooded his mind nearly splitting it as the message worked its way through. He gripped at his head unable to move and began to fall through the air. Batman noticed and quickly opened his cockpit catching J'onn in the backseat. He slammed into the seat not even aware what had happened. He could not even register the pain of hitting the jet. J'onn gripped at his head in pure agony. As the images began to fade out he heard her voice cry out, 'Find me! Please...' Batman landed the jet in a field just outside STAR Labs. He turned to J'onn and saw the turmoil he was experiencing. There was an alarm to Batman's voice, “What the hell happened to you?” The pain was subsiding and J'onn was too focused on piecing the images together that he could not hear him. J'onn began to mumble incoherent phrases, “The lab...boots...Martian...death...” Batman grabbed J'onn's shoulders, “What did you see?” Batman noticed J'onn's eyes glowing dark red, something was happening telepathically. Within moments, J'onn's eyes returned to their fainter color and he noticed Batman's alarm. J'onn realized that the intel about STAR Labs was true but it was not just an enhanced human but she was Martian. He brushed Batman off and hurriedly replied, “A message from STAR Labs- We have to go-” Batman tried to question him further but J'onn was back in the air heading in break neck speed towards the lab. Batman called for his bat cycle and jumped in determined to follow him. J'onn never showed emotions except when he fought the Imperium of the White Martians, the one responsible for the death of Mars. Batman knew that whatever happened it must have involved another Martian. J'onn tried to reach out to her, 'I'm on my way...try to stay focused on where you are...'

Cassie barely picked up a faint whisper of his reply and collapsed to the floor. Her face was now resting in a small pool of her own blood . The young guard went to look in on her and called the others over in alarm at the sight of the blood. One guard ran for the doctor as another two got the cell opened and pulled her up. It was now or never. If she mustered up what little was left and kept the guards distracted he could get to her. She desperately thrashed around fighting the two guards off of her. Dr. Drake came running down the stairs needle in hand. He gave a small smirk, “You really are resilient aren't you?” The guards and Dr. Drake surrounded her and began to close in on her. She squared off with Dr. Drake, “What the hell did you do to my father?” He could only scoff, “So you pieced it together. Well, if it’s any comfort his body was very useful to us to understand more about Martian biology. Even more so about you. His leftover brain is what gave me the solution to your serum.” Everything he had done to her, everything she had lost to him made her veins burn and her eyes see red. She scathingly responded, “What’s the end game? Why do this?” Dr. Drake took a step in not realizing how strong she was becoming. He motioned for the guards to move in closer as well. Dripping with malice he said, “Because what greater weapons are those than the mind? You’re the answer to an evolutionary problem with humans. We’re weak but create more like you and the galaxy will bow before us. ” She was nothing more than a plaything to him. She saw an opening and gunned it for the stairs trying to phase past one of the guards. She was thrown back by a taser so strong that she crashed to the floor. Dr. Drake came close to her ear and whispered, “Why don’t you just give in to me?”

J'onn kept trying to find the connection again as he arrived at the lab. He felt an electric shock as he snapped back seeing the stairs. He was feeling her pain immobilizing him. This gave Batman enough time to catch up. Batman realized J'onn was gone again and tried to pull him back, “J'onn! what is it? Let me help!” Recovering from the pain J'onn looked to him, “There's another martian. They've been telepathically reaching out. I may not be the last.” Batman realized why his inside man was growing more concerned everyday. He knew from experience that going in guns blazing would put everyone there in danger. He matter-of-factly responded to J'onn, “You have to understand, I want nothing more than to stop this but if we just punch our way through-” J'onn cut him, “I have to risk it. Her mind is becoming a bomb-” Batman internally sighed, “Fine, but we do this my way.” J'onn though impatient understood Batman's concern, “Agreed.” J'onn tried to push another message to her, 'Hold on just a little longer.'

The world was spinning and Cassie's mind was beginning to fall apart. She saw her father. She was five and had just discovered her telepathic abilities. Everyone's thoughts were filling her head and in turn she was screaming into their minds. D'carr was gingerly holding her head as he locked eyes with her. He lovingly spoke, “You have to picture a wall. That's it, build it brick by brick. This will keep your thoughts from them and theirs from you. You're a telepath, the things you can do with your mind are endless. However, you have a responsibility to protect those around you. The wall is your safety and theirs. If that wall breaks there's no telling the destruction you could cause.” The memory fades as she stands before the wall and places a hand on it. 'Brick by brick,' she thought. Slowly the wall began to tear down as she decided to end this, to end him. Cassie slammed her elbow into Dr. Drake sending him back off of her. Two of the guards went in on her and she phased past them and grabbed them from behind slamming them into the floor. The next two came tasers on but Cassie dodged one and he hit the other guard instead. She then undercut the guard sending him against the wall. Dr. Drake scrambled to his feet and wiping a little blood from his lip, “Now that’s my girl. Let the rage out. Show me what you’re capable of.” The young guard ran for the stairs and opened the door hoping to God that Batman was going to be on the other side. 

Batman and J'onn had made their way into the building undetected. They came in through the ceiling window and sat on the cross bracing of the warehouse like ceiling. J'onn kept his mind open trying to find her but something was blocking him. They were watching two guards run down a hallway and Batman caught their radios calling for backup. He signaled J’onn to follow and before long they caught up to the younger guard racing out of a steel heavy door just ahead of them. J’onn came up behind the two guards and knocked their heads together and they fell to the floor. The younger guard’s thoughts were like a wave and J'onn immediately went to him. Batman soon caught up. The guard did not hesitate, “You need to get down there now! She'll kill them Batman!” He stepped aside and pointed down the stairs. J'onn started to head down when her mind slammed into his. He realized what she was about to do and turned to Batman, “Get everyone out of here, now!” Batman turned to the guard who ran for the fire alarm setting it off. The building began to evacuate. He tried to follow behind J'onn but was caught in the telepathic field and was trying not to crumble to the ground.

As each brick fell Cassie felt the wave of everyone's thoughts merge with her own, especially Dr. Drake's. He should have feared her but instead he twistedly enjoyed this. Her attention became fully his and the guards recovering took this bit of freedom from her and ran up the stairs and out. They clung to their ears trying to shut her out of their minds as they ran past J’onn and Batman on the stairs. Blood began sliding down from her ears as her mind screamed at the onslaught of everyone’s thoughts . But if she was going to die, then she was going to take this monster from Hell with her. She was going to know everything, tearing both his and her minds apart. Then he would never hurt another being again.

J'onn pushed past her thoughts and moved in trying to get closer to her. Cassie felt J'onn's presence but he was too late. She was no longer in control of her abilities. Dr. Drake tried to reach for the needle but his mind felt like it was being crushed. He lost control and Cassie grabbed his arm pulling him back towards her. Her eyes were full of rage as she pinned him against the wall. “You killed him and for what? For me?” She placed a hand on Dr. Drake’s temple, “Then you deserve me-” All her pain and anger unloaded into Dr. Drake's mind shattering him. The scream was almost inhuman and Cassie could only find it ironic. His thoughts passed through her mind. He had never wanted to be human because to him humanity meant weakness. His anguish and last thoughts overwhelmed her and was about to kill her. J'onn reached her and took her hand from Dr. Drake. He pulled her to him, 'Let him go. I'm here. Just focus on me. Let it go. Death is not the answer.' Years of suppressed hate, rage and grief were drowning her. 'I can't. What he did- What he thought-' She was starting to go weak in his arms. J'onn was not giving up on her, 'This isn’t about him, it is about you.' J'onn stepped into her mind. She was down on her knees holding broken pieces of the wall i her hands. He came up next to her looking at the the broken wall. He took the pieces from her hand and helped her up. In a soft spoken tone he offered, 'Let me help, you don't have to do this alone anymore.' She looked to him with pleading eyes. He took the pieces and formed them back into bricks and then formed a wall with them. It was the last thing Cassie knew before her mind went quiet.

Batman finally felt the telepathic pressure in his head lift and ran into the lab. He saw Dr. Drake on the floor. Dead. His mind like soup spilling out from his ears and nose. Batman looked over to J'onn holding a woman and based on their lack of movement and the glow of J’onn’s eyes they were telepathically engaged. Seeing the amount of blood coming from her and even some from J'onn had Batman call the team for transport with medical on standby. J'onn’s wall was temporary until she would be strong enough to rebuild it herself. In her mind everything around them was going dark and she struggled to keep them in a pool of light. J'onn helping her to completely relax gently whispered, 'You're safe now.' Cassie allowed the last light to go out on them and she grew limp in his arms. J'onn came back to and picked her up cradling her in his arms. Outside, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern arrived with a Javelin prepped for medical transport. Batman went to surmise what happened with J’onn but Wonder Woman cut in over comlink alerting them to their arrival. J'onn did not hesitate and came straight out with Cassie and into the ship. He gently laid her down in the medical pod and hooked her up to the computer. It tried to do a medical scan but her race was unidentifiable. Batman decided to stay behind and scan their computers, copy their data and then destroy any evidence of the Justice League having been there. Wonder Woman alerted him to the computer’s failure to read Cassie and he immediately dug through the medical files first, furiously recording data entry sequences to input into their computer network. 

Cassie was weak but alive, J’onn knew that much, but the computer’s failure was making diagnosis difficult. J'onn did not break from her. He was so focused he did not even register Wonder Woman's presence or Green Lantern flying them back to Watchtower. Wonder woman placed a hand on J'onn's shoulder to get his attention. She noticed his frustration with the computer and tried to calm him, “If she's anything like you, she's strong. She'll make it.” J'onn gave a faint smile in reply but he quickly went to work on the computer trying to ascertain how much damage she had sustained. Before he had realized it they were back at The Watchtower. All eyes were on them. The league rarely, no never, brought in outsiders to The Watchtower. The security risk was too great. J'onn ignored the glances as he rushed the pod with Cassie into the medical bay. Batman finally commed in to command and was patched to J'onn. He had not left for The Watchtower much later than the javelin but realized he could arrive too late. He soon understood the codes and medical data they needed to put in the system before the computer could recognize her. Batman began barking instructions over the com, “J'onn, I need you to type in the following information-” J'onn worked furiously following every step precisely. Finally the computer accepted the need codes and was able to correctly read and assess her. Her biometrics filled the screen just above the pod as the computer informed them, “Analysis. Steady but dangerous condition. Severe cerebral damage and loss of blood. Surface bruises and internal organ damage due to high voltage. Working to regulate heart rate and oxygen intake. Minimal to no brain Activity. Attaching IV and oxygen line. Suggest blood transfusion-type not recognized.”

Batman had just made it onto the flight deck and came racing down the hallways.  
Superman was trying to get filled in on what little Wonder Woman knew about the situation and caught Batman out of the side of his eye. He tried to catch Batman but he kept heading for med bay. Superman hollered after him, “Batman, wait! What in the world-” He kept going not acknowledging the boy scout and figured it could wait. “Bruce!” Apparently not. Batman sharply turned on him, “Clark, not now! If we don't get her the right medical attention, she'll die.” Superman joined Batman's rapid pace, “Who is she?” Batman was still trying to piece everything together on that part, “Apparently from what little I've understood she's a hybrid- half martian, half human. We found her locked away at STAR Labs in Gotham.” Superman was lost, “That's their weapons facility, I don’t understand.” Batman can only muster up snark, “Join the club. If she dies we'll never know the full story.” They burst into the lab as J'onn nearly smashes the computer in frustration over it not recognizing Cassie’s blood type. Superman grabs his fist, “J'onn that's not going to help her, you need to calm down.” J'onn is about to give a retort when Batman cuts him off, “J'onn your shape shifting abilities go all the way down to molecular level, correct?” J’onn catching on, “Yes.” Batman theorizing, “ So you could possibly change your blood to match hers?” J’onn opened the pod and gingerly took her hand into his. His eyes started to glow red and quietly spoke, “I have never tried anything like this, it will take a moment to focus on it but it’s possible.” Batman started hooking up a line to her, “We'll take care of the rest.”

Batman looks to Superman, “We don't exactly carry her type of blood.” Superman tries to collect his thoughts, “I'm still not following how can she be both-” Batman cutting him off impatiently, “She carries both Martian and human DNA codes. I'm not sure how-” J'onn comes back to them, “Ready.” Superman pulls a chair up for J’onn and gets him seated. Batman works furiously hooking J'onn up. Superman overrides the security protocols in the computer and the transfusion begins. Superman looks over at Cassie, “How is this, possible?” Batman defers Superman's questions trying to get the room calmed, “One problem at a time Clark. For now the focus is on keeping her alive. We need this to work.” Superman gets uncomfortable and drops his voice hoping J’onn does not hear, “And if it doesn't...work?” Batman starts to move to her other side but stops, “That's not an option.”

J'onn starts to feel faint from the emotional chaos and for a moment rests his head next to her pod. Superman reaches for him, “J’onn are you-” J’onn waves him off, “It’s been a long day, I’ll be fine.” Batman watches her vitals carefully waiting for a response to the transfusion. For a brief moment Cassie's heart rate jumps but slowly it stabilizes. Her breathing, though still a bit troublesome, grew stronger. All three men released the breath they were holding, even if they were unaware of it. Batman waited till the transfusion was complete and J'onn was disconnected before leaving the room. He motioned for Superman to follow him leaving J’onn in peace. J'onn refused to leave her side. The minutes seemed to have come to a screeching stop as the room echoed with only the sound of her pulse rate and oxygen line humming. He leaned his head onto the pod glass and rested his eyes. His mind was constantly active listening and feeling for hers.

The night was broken up by different League members stopping in to check on the new arrival. It was draining on what little energy J'onn had left. It did remind him that they cared even if was a curious kind of caring. Flash was especially intrigued and raced in. Looking at her he noted, “Think she's single?” before asking if J’onn needed anything and ran back out. J'onn exhausted put his head on glass as close to hers as possible so that if she woke up he would be awoken as well. He knew that her mental state was too fragile and when she came to, she may not be able to hold herself together.

Batman along with the young guard went back to the lab that night. It had been shut down awaiting a police investigation into what happened. Batman had cashed in a favor with Commissioner Gordon to get in before the police did. The guard having fulfilled his duty was slightly agitated to be back. Batman had taken him off the street and promised he would be taken care of for going undercover. He wanted nothing more than to take his compensation and leave. He lead him to lab two, took his money and left. Lab two was upstairs above the lab that they had found Cassie in. The guard said that some of the questions Batman had could be answered in there. He went in and the smell of formaldehyde immediately assaulted him. The motion lights activated and what he saw was something out of a sci-fi film. The lab itself was much like the one below but without the cell. In the center of the room was two cryogenic pods. The screens displayed biological data on both a human female and a male Martian. A brain slit in half sat in a jar and given it was not of human form it must have belong to the Martian. Blood from both beings were in vials and some of it was in mid testing phase. He went over to the cryo pods and a dissected then resewn Martian body and a human body were inside. The labels were scratched up and unreadable. He went to the computers and started downloading all the files. He also went to Cassie’s lab, careful to step over the remains of Dr. Drake. How was all of this going to be explained? Batman always believed in the law but this was beyond any Gotham villain in Arkham. He copied all the security footage and data from both labs. After a cursory look over the information he decided to cover up Cassie and the two bodies deleting all information on them and scrubbing the footage. He had Alfred work with him to confiscate the pods and have them sent back to the batcave. Whoever they were they were important to understanding the case.

Batman spent the early hours of the next morning at The Watchtower combing through the footage and data he had gathered. There were several gaps left in what had happened to the two victims recovered from the lab. For Cassie an entire day was scrubbed from the files. He was filled with so many questions. Where did they find her? What happened to her? It was clear she was capable of killing but did that make her a villain? Batman kept a video feed live on the med bay as he worked through layers of encryption from the lab. His constant gut feeling of trust no one was fueled by the question, why was she in a weapons facility? he glanced over at the live feed and saw J'onn resting next to her. He had great respect for J'onn, even if he never told him or showed it. Batman would end anyone who threatened Earth and the League, no matter what the cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grateful for the reads, again any constructive criticisms are welcome.
> 
> Still interested? 
> 
> Next Chapter release is May 9th-   
>  Chapter 2: The Truth Will Set You Free?


	3. Chapter 2 The Truth Will Set You Free Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Cassie, being born half human and half Green Martian was never easy. Cassie knew deep down she was called to be hero. What she didn't expect was not having to go it alone.

**Chapter 2- The Truth Will Set You Free? Pt 1  
** Cassie had lost all sense of time. Slowly a light started to softly glow on her in her mind. She sat with her knees pulled up against her chest and her head in her knees. She did not want to feel or connect to any part of her consciousness . The faint light was a sign that her brain was repairing itself. She also noticed a warmth hugging her psyche. It must have been the Manhunter’s wall holding everything out to allow her to heal. But what about when she was fully repaired? He would not be able to keep her in or anyone near out. She was going to have to find the strength to build her wall back up. She felt a hand rest upon her shoulder and the light grew a little brighter. She looked up and was a bit shocked to see her father in his tall, narrow Green Martian form. She stammered, _‘How can you- I- You're not...really here. Are you? This- This is my own mind...isn't it?’_ He sat down next to her and calmly said, _‘You've temporarily fractured your mind. It's our, well your, only way to process it. As you heal, you’ll have to let me go.’_ Cassie let out a weary sigh and put her head between her knees again. Her voice was muffled, _‘What if I don't let you go? Maybe I’ve decided I don’t want to press on anymore. If I go back I’ll have to face whatever came from the mess I caused.’_ He places a hand on her back and assured her, _‘You know that warmth that you feel is that Manhunter. You dragged him into this, you gave him hope. Facing the truth is never easy, but you won’t have to alone. You owe it to him to at least try.’_ Cassie chuckles at the absurdity of giving herself advice. The area began to fill with more light and it took shape again as Central Park in the night sky. She looked up, _‘Is this what it’s like being part of two worlds? You literally can talk to your other half?’_ He laughs, _‘I don’t know. I just figured you’re crazy.’_ Cassie pushes herself to stand up and offers a hand to him, _‘I think more so than I realize.’_

They stand facing each other as the wall the Manhunter built comes into the light. D’carr looks to the wall, _‘It’s time.'_ Cassie perplexed, _‘Time for what?’_ He morphs into her Martian form and she looks into her own red eyes in her voice, _‘Time we come back together.’_ She raises her hand and Cassie matches her. The human form of Cassie becomes like a ghost and passes into Cassie’s Martian form, making them one mind again. Cassie stands at her full height with her green skin, red human eyes, and short brunette hair with human features to her physique. Her mother had said Cassie received only the best traits from them. Cassie began to feel her own strength come back to her and place a hand on the wall. She felt the Manhunter’s warmth radiating from it but was until the wall broke she could not reach him. Hopefully he was ready for her because this was going to be violent. 

The sun had just hit the western hemisphere starting a new day and J'onn had only just fallen asleep again after Superman had come to check in on her. He felt the wall starting to break shocking him into awaking up. The computer started to pick up brain activity and her vitals were getting stronger. He opened the pod and noticed a twitch in her fingers. She was trying to come back but before he could warn the League her mind broke through nearly sending him to the floor. The members in The Watchtower were suddenly overcome with Cassie's mixed thoughts ripping into them. Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman fell to their knees gripping their heads as Cassie inadvertently started prying into their own thoughts. Hawkgirl who thankfully was in her helmet, giving her immunity to Cassie’s psychic wave, and went running to the med bay. J'onn who was taking the brunt of it was trying to contain Cassie’s thoughts and separate her from his fellow leaguers’ minds. He was trying to connect to her and pushed through the mess of thoughts getting closer to her central consciousness. Cassie was trying to fight through the noise of their thoughts and rebuild her own permanent wall that would be controlled by her own will. She had to focus on the wall, _'Brick by brick.'_ Her father's words echoed in her thoughts. J'onn heard her repeating the phrase and used it as a way to reach to her. He maintained focus on keeping her uncontrolled psychic strength from turning everyone into vegetables. Cassie felt him fighting to hold back the onslaught of the leaguers’ thoughts she was receiving. A flurry of images of their memories and thoughts were just beyond the Manhunter’s mind . J’onn was barely holding on as he tried to contact her, _‘I can't hold it all back much longer, you must finish it-’_ The pressure of their minds was tearing J’onn’s apart. He was losing ground and was pushed closer to her own. He had no idea that in the physical world blood was trickling from the corners of his eyes and nose. His hands, still wrapped around her temples, were becoming stained from her blood dripping out her ears. Back in her mind, Cassie takes a calming deep breath and with her hands out pulls her own bricks back into place. J’onn’s mind had been brought into her own, and was just inside the wall she was building. As she worked the wall around the exterior of her mind she had brought herself back to back with him. As the top layer of bricks settle the pressure releases they both collapse to the ground. The other leaguers' minds were freed from her. J’onn’s mind being inside the wall kept him there. They make eye contact and between breaths she thinks, _‘I'll-be-okay...thank you. You should-check on the others...’_ J'onn only manages to smile and nod, _‘Welcome back,’_ before he is violently pulled from her mind and snaps awake.

Hawkgirl had arrived at the bay and saw J'onn standing next to Cassie with his hands on her temples. As she got closer she noticed blood coming from J’onn’s eyes and fearful for her friend’s life tried to pull his hands away from Cassie. Unable to pull his hands away she took her helmet off and put it on him. J'onn nearly knocked her over as he jolted back and his eyes stopped glowing. J’onn brought his palms to his forehead in an effort to relieve the crushing pain and slumped back into his chair. Hawkgirl went to him, “J'onn, what happened? Are you alright?” He realized he was wearing her helmet and carefully slid it off and handed back to her. He saw the panic in Hawkgirl's eyes. He tried to muster up a steady calm voice, “I will be alright. It's over, now.” He gripped his head again as another wave of sharp pain spiked.

Batman and Superman came running into the bay trying to ignore the residual twinges of pain in their heads. Superman spoke first, “What the-” J'onn raised a hand to him cutting him off, “As telepaths we maintain a wall that keeps our minds from interacting with others. Whatever they did to her, it broke her.” J’onn grabbed for his head again and Batman looked to Hawkgirl. She shrugged her shoulders, “He said he would be alright.” Before the retort came Cassie began to stir. The members surround her. Her vision was blurry and slowly their figures came into focus. Her physique slowly turned to her true self. She felt like dead weight. She tried to move her head but could only stand to shift her eyes scanning the faces around her. J'onn who was still recovering in his chair could only manage to have one eye on her. She tried to speak but her voice was rough, “Th-Thank you...for saving me.” J'onn just above a whisper, “You're welcome.” Batman contained himself from grilling her and instead checked with the computer about her vitals and recovery. Superman inquired, “Who are you?” She addressed him,“Cassie Mollari.” The air grew thick when she did not say anything more. Superman pressed on, “It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Superman, this is Hawkgirl, Batman and well you’ve met J'onn. Batman and J'onn found you at STAR labs.” Hawkgirl began to fidget while Batman, satisfied with her results, was looking for an out not wanting to do pleasantries when there was more work be done. Superman felt like the room needed a break. Superman surmised, “You've been through a lot, I'm sure you could use some rest.” Cassie apologetically, 'Thank you, I'm sorry for the problems I've caused.” Superman smiled, “Nothing 2 aspirins and some sleep can’t cure.” Hawkgirl with one last look to J’onn and Batman booked it out of the bay. Superman and Batman went for the door looked to J’onn and stepped out. J’onn knew that look meant he was in for a lengthy discussion. J'onn lingered in the chair for a moment before finding the strength to stand. He wanted to stay and make sure she was truly alright but he was in for a briefing. He went for a towel cleaning up his blood. He stole a glance over to Cassie who’s eyes began to droop. She acknowledged his gaze but succumbing to sleep she was unable to keep her eyes open. J'onn was the last out had the door that slide closed quietly behind him. With the door securely shut the questions and speculations started to fly.

Batman started off, “I’ve been combing through the files and footage from the lab. They were running multiple experiments on her. From what I gathered so far they were trying to turn her into a weapon-” Superman was rolling his eyes, “She’s a victim.” Batman shot back, “She may be a victim but she could be a dangerous one. There are gaps in the records, a whole day was missing-” Hawkgirl jumped in, “After what just happened, if she were to turn on us-” Superman defending Cassie, “That’s a large if. I didn’t notice a monster in there, just someone who needs our help.” J'onn Leaned against the wall letting the coolness of the steel travel down his spine. The headache was now subsiding and the bleeding had stopped. He refused to make eye contact with any of them as they argued. At one point he stopped listening to them talking in circles. Batman looked over to him as Hawkgirl made more speeches about trusting no one and they had to know the full truth before anymore help should be given. Noticing Batman’s stare J’onn tuned in to the conversation again. Regretfully knew where this was going. Batman spoke up, “J’onn, we need to know. We’ll have to interrogate her, but her being a telepath-” J’onn finished, “You want me to scan her mind for the information?” The hallway became deathly silent. Batman was the only one brave enough to answer, “Yes. The data logs contained several trials of brainwashing...She may not even realize-” J'onn cut him off, “But such an invasive procedure-” Batman interjected, “Of course, I know what I’m asking-” Superman protested, “That is completely overlooking her rights! She is a resident of Earth! We can’t just go into her mind like that, we’ll be just as bad if not worse than STAR-” J’onn looks up at them stopping Superman from continuing. There was a certain anger to his eyes that none of them had seen. Were they so distrustful of him as well when he met them? Then again, the mentality was always do not trust anything you do not understand. For most of them years of betrayals had tarnished them. Secrets often became deadly weapons for paranoia. For most of the Justice League, long gone was the ability to trust other beings. It made him miss Mars so much more. Martians had lived for years without feelings of distrust or fear. Those were emotions that were learned. He brought himself to his full height and asserted, “I’ll only do it if she agrees to it.” His tone of voice put an end to the discussion. Batman decided not to push, “ I'll keep working at the files in the meantime.” He walked down the hall and back to the command deck. Superman followed behind welcoming the end of this discussion. Hawkgirl was about to leave when she turned back to J'onn. He was looking through the med bay glass at a peacefully asleep Cassie. She stood next to him, “J’onn, it’s not my business but be careful. She nearly just killed you.” He met her eyes and was shocked to see the concern. She rarely showed genuine concern. Maybe he was allowing the fact that she was part Martian to cloud his judgement. He nodded, “I will.” Satisfied she walked away and back towards the dorms.

He turned back to the glass and, not wanting to disturb Cassie, quietly phased into the med bay. He sat in the chair next to her. He watched her sleep and was still trying to comprehend her existence. When was the last time he had come in contact with anyone like him? He gently placed his head in his hand. The last time...the last time was the final raid in the White Martian’s underground tunnels. The last face he had seen was a younger Martian man, whose name he never knew. They had been part of the last five men of Mars, the last of their race. He did not know any of their names but their faces haunted him. Haunted. They all haunted him, or maybe he had never let them go. He could not tell anymore. His wife and his daughter. Their deaths were still raw wounds in his heart. Cassie’s peaceful sleep was disturbed when J’onn’s natural warmth suddenly started to go cold. The change nudged her slowly awake. Her eye slid open and she noticed him deep in thought. His body language was melancholy. For a minute she thought she saw a bit of her father in him. After the death of Mars D’carr had carried that same coldness for months. She noticed his hand resting at the edge of the bed. She carefully took hers and brought her pinkie next to his. The touch made J’onn nearly jump out of the chair. She was trying to keep her eye open and barely managed to breath, “Such heartache...grief…” J’onn forgot that Martians even when not connected, could sense heightened emotions. He felt a twinge of guilt for letting his mind wander so close to her, “It's nothing for you to con-” She whispered, “I understand...I’ve felt-much the same...” Her eye slid shut and she went back to sleep leaving her pinkie next to his. 

J'onn was stunned and unable to move. He was perplexed by her in the best of ways. She had just gone through hell and had every reason to isolate and withdraw but instead she felt the need to try to comfort him. The fact that she could even empathize after such excruciating mental turmoil was astounding. Even on his best day it would take J’onn at least an hour to heal and he had rapid healing. How was he going to come to terms with scanning her? What if she was merely a larger game’s pawn? Could she really be the villain? He logically knew he had to tread carefully with her, but part of him had trusted her the moment she called out for help. He looked at their fingers close together, it seemed so simple. So human that she instinctively wanted to reach his hand to comfort him. Maybe that is what he needed was the human perspective on empathy. She shifted slightly and he quieted his thoughts not wanting to risk waking her up again. He debated whether or not to leave as the sun made its way to setting in the eastern Earth sky. 

The Watchtower had been fairly quiet. Green Lantern and Hawkgirl were off world dealing with a trade dispute, Superman was in a closed Security Council meeting dealing with protocols for potential other world invasions and Flash had just arrived back at the tower after putting Captain Cold back behind bars. Wonder Woman was on watch on the command deck with Batman not far from her working away at two computers filled with information from the lab. She would occasionally sneak a peek over his shoulder at what he had found. At one point she heard him mutter, “Her parents.” This caught her attention and she came up behind him peering over his shoulder. She saw a photo of what appeared to be a happy human couple with the word ‘Deceased’ across it. She was puzzled by his reaction to it, “Who are they?” Batman had recognized the woman from the body at the lab. She was listed as Cassie’s mother. Though the face in the photo did not match his body, Batman assumed that must have the Martian body he had found. He would have to have Cassie identify them to he certain. It was why he could not find any missing persons reports for her and why it was so easy for STAR Labs to wipe her out of existence. Anyone who would have looked for her were already dead. Wonder Woman realized Batman had clearly been deep in thought and did not heard her. She repeated herself, “Batman, who are they?” He finally acknowledged her presence. Standing up he turned to her, “I believe they’re Cassie’s family. I found two bodies at the lab and I have reason to believe they’re the remains.” Wonder Woman could only quietly gasp, “Hera.” He started to walk away and she called to him, “ You need to tell her!” He turned back towards her, “I have a suspicion she already knows.” Batman made his way back to med bay when he was nearly ran over by Flash. 

The Earth had gone completely dark in the Western Hemisphere. J’onn, without realizing it, had drifted off to sleep. Cassie, for the first time, felt a desire to wake up. Any left over serum from Dr. Drake had worked its way out of her system. Her mind fully embraced all of its functions and senses again. She was still sore in places and a dull headache hummed but she was free, and for the first time, free to be herself. She caught sight of the sleeping form of J'onn next to her. His current appearance, though odd for a Martian, had put her at ease. His human-esque qualities to his Martian colouring and stance put him a little closer to her own hybrid form. She felt the warmth of his hand still close to hers. What was it that made her want to reach out to him? It had to be some combination of him being Martian and/or telepathic. But was there something else? After everything she was still processing why did she trust him? He saved her but that was not enough. At first she could not put the reason for wanting to be open with him into words but then it dawned on her. Pain. That deep rooted pain of losing her family that she did not want to deal with. He seemed to carry that as well. She surmised that after all, he had lost Mars too. She suspected he may have witnessed it first hand, making his loss so much greater. 

She gingerly tried to slide her hand away so she could move without disturbing him. She was not slick enough and he stirred. Both seemed to flush slightly at the other for catching their attention. J’onn stood up withdrawing his hand and looked to the monitor checking her vitals. He addressed her, “How are you feeling?” She carefully brought herself into a sitting position ignoring the shooting pain from her torso and slight dizziness. She inhaled and through her teeth restraining the desire to cry in pain,“I've had better days. How about you?” J'onn was trying to push off what he had to really talk to her about, the scan. He forced a response, “I'm not the one who went through hell only a few days ago.” His attempt to dispel his concerns did not go unnoticed and although she had a thousand questions what he was holding back caught her attention. She inquired, “What is it? There’s something you want to say but you’re choosing not to.” J'onn was taken aback by her frankness. It had been too long since anyone had been able to read him so quickly. He was uneasy, “I'm sorry, I do not mean to hide anything from you. It has been requested by my fellow teammates to have me scan your mind- given the nature of some of the experiments performed on you.” Cassie swallowed hard, they may have been heroes but they saw her as much of a threat as everyone else had, “They don't trust me.” Her thoughts went to the missing day, the day that was blocked from her memory. Cassie was staring down into her hands unable to look to J’onn. He did not want this to pull her away from the team. Trying to salvage the pieces from the bomb he had dropped, “No one is forcing you to. The choice is yours.” His words were flattering but she knew there was no actual choice. It was either her complete submitting or be constantly suspected. She flatly stated, “I'll submit.” J'onn noticed her eyes watering, the only outward betrayal to her statement. He wanted to say something consoling but the words never came. The silence was deafening between them. Finally Cassie spoke up, “When...when is the scan?” J’onn knew in order to repair the damage of trust the sooner the better, “In the morning, if you are up to it.” She only nodded. What kind of position had they put her in? Did they all have to go through a similar process? It did not matter. She had nothing to go back on Earth. This team was all she had now. J’onn moved closer to her bed seeing her recede into her own thoughts and compassionately trying to draw her back out, “You should try to rest.” Cassie had a betrayal tear roll down her cheek. How could she sleep? Everything that had happened to her was going to be re-lived so they could determine if they trusted her. She shakily muttered, “Of course.” J’onn noticed her hand was close to the edge of the bed and he went to take it but a knock on the bay window stopped him.

Batman was on the other side waving him to come out. Flash appeared next to him and was about to open the door when Batman stopped him. Flash snapped at Batman. Neither J’onn or Cassie could hear their words but reading the body language it was apparent J’onn needed to get out there. J’onn begrudgingly, “I should go, try to get some rest. Is there anything I can get you while I’m gone?” She was too wrapped up in her thoughts to want anything, “No. Thank-” Her stomach growled in protest. When was the last time she had real food and not just the protein bricks they had given her at the lab? For the first time in a long time felt real hunger. Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment. J'onn took that as a hint, “I’ll bring back something for you to eat.” Flash was now knocking on the window and J’onn dragged himself out. Cassie pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head into them finally letting the tears fall. She would have to face _him_ again. Dr. Drake may have been dead but he was not letting her go. He brought out the monster in her and she was afraid the league would only see that. She was afraid that would define her, that there was no salvation from the cruel things that he had done to her. She thought about the missing day, what were they going to find? 

Flash looked back through the bay window and saw Cassie quietly crying. J’onn and Batman had walked on ahead of him towards the cafeteria. He almost went in when Batman barked back at him, “Leave her be.” Flash grew impatient and raced up to them, “Look, we're supposed to help people aren't we? Digging into her life, scanning her and prying info from her? How are we any better than those scientists?” Batman pushed away his doubts and grew cold, “We are helping her. She's strong, she'll come out of this. She’ll know the truth, and so will we.” J’onn contemplatively, “The truth will set you free, I believe is the phrase. In this case, however, I fear the pursuit of truth may come at high cost.” Batman pressed on, “She agreed to it?” J’onn nodded, “Yes. To my surprise.” Batman took that as a good sign, “Then she also seeks the truth.” Flash felt like he was missing part of the conversation, “Seek what truth?” Batman looked to J’onn while answering, “There’s an entire day missing in all the logs and footage. Dr. Drake did something to her. We need to know what. I also need her to identify some bodies I found at the lab.” J’onn stopped, “You did not mention-” Batman interjected, “I had to be sure they were connected with her. I believe them to be her parents.” The air seemed to go stale all three men had stopped. Flash found his voice first, “Do you think she knows?” Batman dropped his gaze, “I have reason to believe she knows they're dead but that they were at the lab- I don't know. For now I'm asking you as a team to trust me, this is the right thing.” Flash was not fully convinced but calmer, “I hope you're right Bats, cause right now I don't feel like one of the good guys.” With that Flash sped off to the cafeteria. J'onn and Batman stood there quietly both having so much to say and yet said nothing at all. J'onn carefully chose his next words, “Go easy with her. I sense there is much she is dealing with.” Batman did not put up a fight, “Of course.” J'onn satisfied made his way to the cafeteria. 

Flash was darting around putting together the craziest sandwich J'onn had ever seen. He went to the fridge opened it and just stared. He realized he had no idea what she would eat. He never had much of a need for food; how was he suppose to make a decent meal? Flash started to slow down and noticed J'onn staring into the fridge. He popped up peering over his shoulder, “Whatcha lookin’ for?” Defeated he admitted, “I’ve never had to prepare a meal-” Flash did not even wait for the rest when he furiously whipped up something over the stove. J'onn had barely shut the fridge door when Flash was pouring chicken noodle soup hot and fresh into a bowl. He then set up a tray with the soup. As he passed the tray to J'onn, “My mother's recipe. I don't know anyone who doesn't love homemade chicken noodle soup.” The aroma caught J'onn's attention and thankfully, “I’m sure Cassie will love it, I appreciate it.” Flash started chowing down on his sandwich and with his mouth full, “No problem big guy...She deserves at least some hospitality…” J’onn smiled, “She does.” He took the tray back and went back to the med bay. 

As the door slid open Cassie lifted her head to see who it was . The tears had run out a while ago but she had no desire to try to sleep. Her mind kept mulling over what they would ask her, what a scan would find. He placed the soup tray on the edge of her bed. The smell made her stomach growl. There was a weird comfort she found with it being chicken noodle. It reminded her of home, “My mother had made soup just like that when I was sick. Thank you.” Careful not to burn herself she tried a small spoonful. It was most likely months of eating tasteless garbage but she swore this was the best thing she had ever had. J’onn sat back down in the chair next to her, “You can thank Flash for it, he has...a skill for the culinary.” Cassie had to force herself not to scarf the whole bowl down with in minutes. She felt J’onn watching her and she put down the spoon. He noticed her becoming uncomfortable and moved to stand, “I should leave you to your soup.” She piped up, “No- I mean, feel free to stay. It’s just...the silence...well it’s kind of unnerving is all.” She did not want to be alone with her thoughts right now and she needed a distraction. 

Silence had never bothered him anymore but he remembered a time it still did. He sat back down, “What would you like to discuss?” She picked up the spoon but was turning it her hand. There were so many questions, “You’re a Manhunter from Mars?” His voice grew quiet, “I am.” For a moment Cassie had a childlike admiration of him, “My father talked about the Manhunters. He admired the vows of protection and honour. Even after banishment by their hand he had nothing but positive things to say about them.” She took another spoonful. His interest was now piqued, “Your father was of Mars?” She nodded and stirred the soup, “His name was D’carr, D’carr Mollari.” J’onn was stunned at the recognition of the name, “ Your father’s work is what aided in the fight against the White Martians! If we- If I had only been able to break his genetic decoding sooner Mars…” He trailed off, Mars was dead. It did not matter anymore. Cassie bravely took his hand em-pathetically, “I was five when it happened...I barely understood what I was experiencing. My father and I spent that night helplessly feeling and seeing...all that death. It’s a miracle you survived-” He nearly torn his hand away but thought better of it. He was trying to hold back his self hatred, “It’s no miracle. I was a scientist, Earth would say a biologist. I came across your father’s work on N’erv’us V’iri’d’is. It was a rare plant on Mars. Through your father’s breaking down process that plant became a nerve agent to use against the White Martians. I was only able to save myself. If I only had-” She stopped him, “You can’t live in if onlys...or so my father would tell himself after the death of my mother.” He could sense the connection between them growing and he quietly scolded himself for it but he wanted to know more. He inquired, “Both parents are dead?” Her gripped tightened as flashes of the helicopter, those boots the last breath...the corn field...her tears. This was her chance to have one being see her as something other than a killer. To see her before the lab. Cassie braved a hand to J’onn’s temple, “It’s easier if I show you.” Hesitantly he accepted.

 **The Past...  
** Cassie was thirteen and for the first time her Martian features started to appear. Unable to keep her hidden in the city Mary decided it was time for the three of them to travel back upstate to where her parents’ farm was. It would give D’carr time to work with Cassie and her shape-shifting abilities. Her family grew corn and raised chickens. Cassie remembered the lake on the edge of their property followed by the corn as golden as her mother’s hair. Fields of green wrapped around gold. She could smell the fresh air and felt the grass between her toes. J’onn marveled at the sight. The house and barn sat in the middle of the family’s ten acres of land, most of which was corn fields. The chickens roamed the small front yard as wild rabbits ran away from the noise of Cassie’s frustration. The house was a two story, four bedroom old home painted white. The front of it was wrapped around by a wooden porch. Not far from it off to the left was the big red barn that had a service road around the back and through the next field of corn. Between the house and barn was a dirt driveway that extended past the house on the right and connected to the main road. An old truck was parked just out front of the barn. On the patch of dirt driveway, Cassie stood squared off with D’carr who was in his Martian form. Sitting in rocking chairs was Mary and her father. She had been terrified for her parents to find out D’carr’s and her daughter’s secret but their love and compassion saw over the difference. Mary’s mother was in the kitchen preparing dinner. D’carr was connected with Cassie and she had yet to be able to change herself back to her pale skin and blue eyes. She was sweating from all the concentration. _‘I can’t do it!’_ It was the tenth time he was talking her through it, _‘Can’t or won’t. Cassie, you can’t go around with green skin and red eyes.’_ Cassie had entered her rebellious phase and she wanted nothing more than to be open about her Martian half. She was tired of hiding. Superman had just come out and she wanted to be able to do the same. She did not understand why her family insisted on hiding. _‘We’re not alone anymore. More aliens are revealing themselves-’_ He was well over having this argument with her, _‘Yet, they don’t walk around the grocery store or school in their true forms. They maintain identities, just like you have to. Now try to relax your mind, focus deep inside down to the molecule. Like this-’_ Slowly his mind saw everything around him molecular form. Mary saw him change back to his human form and her father was dumbfounded at the sight. Cassie tired of fighting tried to focus. The breaking of everything to molecules hurt and she only got so far before she had to stop. It was enough though, her skin was pale and her eyes blue. D’carr smiled and he went over to her, “I know this world doesn’t make sense to you but people, most people are not ready for something so different as you. Your time will come, but for now embrace blending in.” Mary came over to them, “I think that’s about enough work for you two for one day. Dinner's almost ready.” She went to hug Cassie but she brushed her off, “I’m not hungry, I just need to go for a swim.” She went off in the direction of the lake and D’carr went to chase after her but Mary stopped him, “Give her a little space. It’s been a long day, she has so much to deal with. Not much can happen by lake. If she’s not back in an hour, I’ll go down and talk to her.” D’carr wrapped his arm around her, “You know the stubbornness she gets from you.” Mary gave a sly eye, “I thought that was one of the things you loved about me.” Cassie had glanced back and caught Mary playfully getting away from D’carr who went back to his Martian form catching her and pulling her in for a kiss. Green wrapped gold. 

Down at the lake everything was still, the water was warm and inviting. Cassie was wading when a small boat came cruising by. She noticed it was going surprisingly fast for the area. Two college boys enjoying their last days of summer had been drinking and got behind the boat’s steering wheel. She saw a jet ski trying to pass them when they swerved crashing into it. The jet ski went firing into the air tossing off the woman who was on it into the water. One of the guys was safe in the boat while the other was knocked in. No one appeared to be close enough to reach them. Cassie did not hesitate and ran in diving into the water. She telepathically called to her father about the situation. They were on their way calling nine-one-one. She swam harder than she ever had. The woman was wearing a life vest and kept her afloat while she tried to regain herself. The guy, however had not surface and his drunk friend was calling from the side of the boat. Cassie went under but could not see him. She psychically reached out for him. He was losing consciousness and was much deeper than she had anticipated. She shot down lower catching up to him. She used all her strength to pull him back up both breaking the surface.

D’carr had dove in and was swimming towards them. The woman had managed to get back on her jet ski and came around to help get the guy up onto the ski as well. He was unconscious and rescue was on the way. His drunk buddy not realizing his friend was being brought to the shore kept yelling for him and took a slip hitting his head on the side of the boat. Cassie managed to pull herself into the boat and saw the blood. She quickly laid him down careful with his head. Rescue met the woman on the shore and started resuscitation while another team set out on recovery to meet the now dead floating boat. D’carr was not too far off when the rescuers pulled the second guy out and were taking him back. Something was wrong though. Cassie seemed to be under arrest riding back to the shore with them. He followed them back and he realized she had turned green in the chaos. He reached out for her, _‘What’s happening?’_ She was panicked, _‘They believe I did this. They’re calling me a monster. What do I do?’_ More and more people started to show up and D’carr had to act fast. He became transparent and phased his way through the crowd. He was right in front of her. _‘I’m going to grab for you and head for the lake, are you ready?’_ She tried to remain calm, _‘Yes.’_ He became solid and visible startling the guards watching her. She went right for his arms and the two made a mad dash for the lake. 

Dusk was rolling in and the spectators were becoming a mob. They worked their way around the lake’s edge looking for tracks and using hunting dogs to sniff the aliens out. D’carr had been in Martian form when he saved Cassie and it horrified those looking on. Search lights were added as well as speed boats were now patrolling the lake. Someone made a call into F.B.I. and their recently formed team connected to STAR Labs was dispatched. Cassie and her father had barely made it back to the shore just on the family property with out being caught. From the short beach edge they ran climbing back on grass and going straight into the corn field. Slowly they worked their way back to the house. Both had several scrapes and surface bruising from the corn. Mary quickly met them wrapping Cassie in a towel and embracing her. “Thank God you’re alright.” Cassie never wanted to let her go, “I should have never gone in after them-” Mary looked deep into her eyes, “You never apologize for saving a life. Do you understand me? Never.” Cassie wrapped herself tighter with the towel. Mary looked up to D’carr, “Let’s get you two inside and dried off.” They went inside but by the look of her parents Mary knew something was wrong. She turned to Cassie, “Go upstairs and get changed.” For once Cassie did not argue, it was something in the tone of Mary’s voice that convinced her. D’carr became Alex once again, “What is it?” Mary’s mother spoke up, “While I was in town earlier today it came up that you all were here visiting. It’s a small town and I fear they’ll put two and two together.” Her father came up to D’carr, “Son, we need to get the truck gassed up and get you three out of here. These here people are simple folk and fear things they can’t easily explain.” D’carr’s heart sank, “Of course. We don’t want to put you at risk.” He went out with him to get gas out of the barn and fill the truck tank. 

Cassie had changed and was staring at herself in the mirror. She was still green with red eyes. She calmed her thoughts and focused on what she needed to look like. She looked into the mirror again and was now back to pale skin and blue eyes. Her mother came up behind her, “You’re beautiful no matter the color of your skin.” Cassie rolled her eyes, “You have to say that, you’re my mom.” Cassie was about to tease her when she noticed the way her mother was looking at her, as if she was trying to remember every small detail of her. Cassie turned to her, “What is it, mom?” Mary bent down to get level with her, “You and your father maybe the telepaths in the family but you never seem to know what’s going on.” She kissed her forehead and stood back up, “We have to go.” Cassie followed her down and her grandmother stood before her. She wrapped Cassie in the tightest of hugs knowing full well she probably never get to see her again. The tv was on in the background, “Reports coming in that there may be aliens among us, look like us...tonight at Oneida Lake a jet ski boat accident is contributed to one such sighting…” A cellphone picture of D’carr and Cassie running shows up on the screen, “Anyone with any information about the possible whereabouts of these creatures are encouraged to call the sheriff's office...This just in, the FBI has arrived on the scene-” Mary shut off the TV and went out to the porch. The search lights were getting closer to the property. She could hear faint barking and shouting from the search party making their way to where the property starts by the lake. Car lights were spotted about a mile and a half down the main road heading fast for the driveway. They were running out of time. D’carr and her father came back from the truck. 

It was becoming more apparent they were not going to be able to escape. D’carr went up to Mary, “They may not even recognize us if we-” The howl from a hunt dog stopped him. Martians could change their physical state but their scent could never be altered. Her father handed D’carr the keys to the truck, “Behind the barn is a narrow access road to the back part of the farm, you’ll have to drive through the back corn field till you hit the road but you should miss them. No headlights, we’ll keep them here as long as possible.” D’carr was speechless maybe there was hope for humanity yet, “Thank you, father.” They embraced and then Mary went in to hug her father. Tears were everywhere. Cassie and her grandmother came out and with last embraces, D’carr took his wife and child into the truck. Just as the truck started to pull around the back of the barn black SUVs circled the house. Cassie watched in terror as men in black suits raided the house. Mary held Cassie tight and was crying at the sight. The search party from the lake discovered their tracks leading to the corn field and in an effort to flush them out lit it on fire. Cassie screamed as the flames went shooting up. D’carr could not look but kept his eyes on the dirt path straining in the dark to see what was ahead. As they were just about out of barn area when they heard the gun shots. Mary’s eyes widened in terror and Cassie started to yell, “We have to go back- we can’t just- we can’t-” D’carr psychically reached out for Mary’s parents, they were gone. It was too late. He briefly made eye contact with Mary but it was enough to tell her they were dead. As the truck entered into the cornfield behind the house and they hit a pothole making the bed of the truck jump and crash in a loud thunderous noise. The who had now made their way to the back of the house agents heard it and started calling for all vehicles. One agent making his way toward the barn found the tire tracks leading to the service road. D’carr realized they had lost the art of stealth and turned the headlights on flooring it. Engines and shouts came roaring from behind them as the SUVs pulled away from the house and came hurtling down the service road. The dirt path was getting more treacherous and D’carr was having a hard time getting the truck through. 

The flames had made their way through the front fields and now reached up to the yard closing in on the house. D’carr knew there was no going back. The SUVs were gaining on the truck it was going to be easier on foot to lose them. D'carr plowed the truck into the corn field and shouted, “Jump out of the truck and make a run towards the road when I say.” Cassie held the door handle and pushed all her fear aside. Mary reached behind the seats for the tire iron jamming it into the steering wheel as D’carr set the cruise control. Once set he looked to them, “Now!” All three lunged out the doors. Cassie was first in hitting the ground and rolling to safety. She looked for Mary who though made it out but caught her leg on the way down and had a nasty gash through it. Cassie scrambled over to her. She saw the blood and started to rip her shirt into strips and wrap the leg. D’carr was stuck on the other side waiting for the SUVS in pursuit to pass before he could reach them. So far the trick was working. He made his way over to Mary. Cassie had managed to get the leg wrapped and Mary was leaning on her. He scooped his wife into his arms and turned to Cassie, “Stay right behind me, do you understand?” She nodded. They worked their way through the corn towards the back end of the property line the farthest side of the road away from the party of vehicles. The truck was doing well until it hit the road and slammed into one of the other vehicles trying to block it in. The engine of the truck erupted into flames sending embers into the back field. The family worked harder to move faster towards the road. They were only a few feet from the edge when search lights glowed through from the road. They were surrounded.

The fire from the truck hit the gas line creating an explosion and catching the back corn field on fire. Smoke filled the air giving D’carr an idea. Cassie was not able to fly, so he would have to try and fly both of his girls out of there. Determined he demanded, “Cassie get on my back and don't let go.” Mary realized what he was trying to do but when Cassie got on his back the he did not have the strength to hold them both. He tried to fly but only got a foot off before hitting the ground. Mary pushed herself out of his arms and Cassie slid off his back. They could hear the footsteps of the agents closing in. Mary looked to her husband, “You have to take her and go. I'm slowing you down.” He refused, “They’ll kill you. We-I can't lose you too.” Mary kissed him, “I’ll always be right there. In her eyes and in her smile.” Cassie hugged her mother who kissed her on the head. The warmth of the fire closing in kissed their skin as a gunshot rang out. Shouts were almost on top of them, “Over here! Stop them there, don’t let them escape!” Mary stole one more kiss and nodded to D’carr who pulled Cassie away. She struggled against him, “We can't leave her!” He just said, “I love you, forever.” Mary would not let the tears come, “Forever.” Cassie started to scream, “Let me go! Mom! You can't!” He shot up in the air vice gripping his daughter. He held Mary his mind not willing to break the connection. The agents dragged her out into the road, “Where are they going?” She stood bravely and remained silent. One of the agents heard Cassie's protests, “They're in the air!” Cassie immediately became silent. D’carr had tears silently run down his cheeks. Cassie joined the link and just heard Mary whisper, _‘I love you both,’_ as another shot rang out. They felt the light go out in her. The flames grew closer to the road and the smoke was getting thicker. Cassie whimpered, “No...they can’t...come back mom…” Tears mixed with smoke as D’carr flew away before the flames disabled him from doing so. Once safely away he landed and the two watched everything they loved burn down. Cassie was filled with guilt, it was her fault. No matter what anyone said, it was her fault for trying to save those people. The red flames died down turning everything they had loved into grey ashes. The mob searched for several more hours till the agents finally shut them down. The agents began canvassing the scene. D’carr without a word pulled Cassie into his arms and flew back towards their home in the Bronx.

They had arrived in the early hours of the next morning and he was beyond exhausted. They landed on the roof but realized they could not enter the building. It was surrounded by police and black vehicles with agents storming the building. D’carr did not hesitate and took her out of there. They landed in a dark alley both checking they were in human form. They went to the subway and D’carr was able to persuade a metro employee to let them in. They rode the trains for hours. Cassie eventually fell asleep against D’carr, who had no time to grieve his dead wife and lost home. He had to plan a new life for them. The train arrived in Brooklyn in a rough part of town where only the tough survived. No one would suspect them there, in a part of town where everyone kept to themselves. The guilt weighed heavily on Cassie believing everyday she had killed her grandparents and her mother. If she had just listened to her father and blended in none of this would have happened. D’carr had told her many times that he did not blame her, that saving people was the right thing to do no matter what the cost. Ultimately though, she would have to forgive herself, something she could not do. Her dreams of heroism were tainted by the reality that it came with a cost. But some callings do not give up on us and after three years of suppressing it, it overwhelmed her. It drove her actions at the schoolyard incident that led to her father’s death. 

**The Present...  
** J’onn saw every moment, experienced her terror of herself as she realized she nearly killed the kid. The same agents arriving on scene. The racing heartbeat, every gasp for air as she ran. The strong arms wrapped around her and the sharp cool night air, breeze by her face. Her muscles tensing at the sight of helicopter. The sound of the blades chopping the air as it pursued them. The smell of the river as they went past the bridge. The shock of D’carr being shot and slamming into the ground. The sound of the fight being drowned out by her own heartbeat as she watched stark still. Then nothing but those empty eyes at the mercy of those polished black boots. Dr. Drake. Her mind started to spiral and flashes of the lab, being probed, the series of MRIs, simulations tracking fear and aggression responses...those boots...Drake’s last thought echoed, ‘I’ve won. We’ve created my monster.’ J’onn grabbed Cassie’s mind from the images and the two slammed into a vault door sealed shut. Everything in her mind was dark but for the light on them besides the door. J’onn had not seen a mental block crafted so well. Whoever devised this truly understood her mind and was hiding a dark secret. Cassie not wanting to face it came back to and released J’onn from her mind. Cassie had dried tear streaks down the sides of her face and if she did not know any better, she thought he had them too. She started to take her hand away from his temple when he took it into his, “The things that happened to you, no one should ever have to experience. I’m sorry.” She dared to ask the burning question, “I’m not the only one, am I? I see it in your eyes, that lack of spark. Eyes worn from the guilt and grief of losing those you love.” J’onn could barely swallow over the emotional turmoil welling up in his throat. He breathed, “Yes.” Their hands tightened in support of the other. 

That was the connection they were feeling, the loneliness and emptiness...The guilt of failing everyone they loved. As wonderful as the league has been and J’onn in a heartbeat would lay down his life for any of them, he still felt alone. Not having another telepath left an ache in him. There was a vulnerability, an openness to sharing one’s mind that the league could never have. To have her be completely exposed and raw with him, allowing him to feel everything she had felt, it was a taste of home, of Mars. After months of working on Earth he had yet to find a way to call it home. It was anything but that. Humans baffled him and at times frustrated him. Their fear of letting others in, the mental defenses they had learned could never allow for such contact. He refused to give up on her, to let her go. For the first time all the pain of his past made sense. The journey had led to this moment, to finding another lost soul drowning in its own grief and despair. He would have to have the league understand, no matter their decision he would choose to stay with her. Cassie finally released her hand from his, needing to let go of the moment and find some space. She moved for the remains of the soup. It had gone cold and a new western day was upon them. She forgot how time became so displaced when working in the mind. Hours had gone by. The vault hung in the background of her mind, it was only a short time away till they found what was on the other side. If nothing else, if she was indeed the monster everyone had feared, at least the Manhunter now knew a piece of her. That was going to have to be enough for her, one being that understood her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Update 5/26- Due to schedule conflicts I'm behind on the next chapter. Promise to post as soon as I can! Thank you for your patience!
> 
>  
> 
> You may have noticed the "Part 1" in the chapter title, this is because the original length for the chapter was too long and I was running out of time to give it a decent edit cycle. With that said this chapter was a bit more rushed and more errors maybe present. Again please feel free to post comments or message me with constructive criticism. This is meant to be fun but also a learning ground for me as writer. 
> 
> Otherwise, give it some kudos, let me know you're enjoying it. I write it for myself but it's nice to know I'm not the only one getting a kick out of it. Thank you to all my readers!!!  
> Enjoyed what you read? Chapter 3 The Truth Will Set You Free Part 2 coming to you soon!


	4. Chapter 3: The Truth Will Set You Free? Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please be advised, this chapter does contain the theme of rape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, all!!! 
> 
> I am back! Here is a new chapter that was edited on my own so feel free to send me mistakes you may catch!

Superman had just arrived back from Earth after negotiations with the Security Council over how best to handle global threats or catastrophes. The Tower was surprisingly quiet and it made him suspicious. He went up to the command deck and caught up with Wonder woman who was currently on watch. He noticed her staring at the monitor feed down in the med bay. J’onn was conversing with Cassie as she ate, the two seemed to be enjoying the other’s company. Superman startled her,“Worried about J'onn?” Startled, she snapped back at him, “No- I mean yes- well shouldn’t we all?” Superman believing the best in everyone, tried to sway her, “I think this is great news for him. I remember how I felt when Kara first came to earth. That rush of knowing you’re not alone.” Wonder Woman became defensive, “She’s only half martian-Kara is also your cousin, J’onn has no relation to her...I want to trust her but- Neither of you are alone, we have each other.” Superman just shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder, “Diana, you can’t understand until you lose your whole race and your home-Just trust me on this one.” Wonder Woman looked over to Batman who was still sifting through video surveillance and data entries pulled from STAR Labs. Superman followed her gaze. It dawned on him what was really bothering her and it had nothing to do with J’onn. She was worried about Batman’s borderline obsession with Cassie. In his best soothing parental-like tone, “Look, I understand you’re worried about Batman- and J'onn. But we have to trust them to make the right calls. As it is we'll learn everything we need to know soon.” He gives slight pause then insinuating Batman, “I find it hard to believe she wants to take anyone away from anyone else. And Batman, well, we both know once all the truth is out he’ll move on.” Wonder Woman realized what he was implying and growled, “I never thought- this has nothing to do with Batman-” Superman rolled his eyes and chuckled, “Right...of course not. Well, I’ll see you in the conference room.” 

Before she could give a retort he went into the lift heading down to the next floor. He made his way across the floor and was heading to the conference room which was just beyond the med bay. He caught Flash watching J’onn and Cassie talking as she finished what he could only guess was soup. Flash noticed Superman and turned about as red as his suit, “I wasn’t- it was just- well- they're a little close aren't they?” Superman was growing concerned he was the only one who had any understanding or compassion for the situation. Then again he was the only one in a position to understand J’onn’s perspective. He glanced through the window and thought he saw J’onn for the first time actually connecting with someone. J’onn was loyal to a fault but he always seemed to keep to himself and ultimately the team knew little about him. It was a nice change to see him actually making a friend. Superman tried to have Flash comprehend, “J'onn's has had the hardest time adjusting here. We may have both lost our worlds but I hardly remember mine...that kind of loneliness, I couldn't fathom. I personally think she'd be a great addition to the team, with training. I understand everyone’s concerns but we all have secrets. I think invading hers with such an interrogation is wrong but I’m outnumbered here. I just hope for her sake, we’re doing the right thing.” Flash grinned, “Of course...I'm with ya on that.” Superman starts to walk away, “Then maybe we should let them be?” He starts down the hallway and Flash speeds up to him and stops him, “Hey, I’m not alone in thinking Bats is acting a little out of line with this?” Superman lets out a heavy sigh, “When doesn't he? This whole situation surrounding her has caught his interest and until he solves it, he won't let it go. Better for him to do it here where we can keep an eye on it.” Superman deeply hoped that he was making the right decision with this.

Green Lantern and Hawkgirl had arrived from their deep space mission. They had been discussing the upcoming, of what could nothing more than, an interrogation of Cassie and Hawkgirl was adamantly against being telepathically connected to anyone. As such she opted to remain at the command station. She was hologrammed into the conference room while Green Lantern and Wonder Woman headed down. Hawkgirl noticed Batman had yet to move to and she peered over his shoulder. He was staring at a time stamp in a surveillance tape that would skip just five seconds before restoring. It was matched next to a log entry from Dr. Drake with a highlighted portion that read, “Attempt with Cassie was interrupted by The Controller. Frustrated to have my creation interrupted. Her mind is now another chess game for him. Will not be able to understand the extent of his influence on her.” Hawkgirl spoke without thinking, “Well that’s ominous.” Batman did not even miss a beat, “That’s my feeling as well.” He copied the information to a flash drive and got up to head down when a yawn escaped. Hawkgirl realized he must have been working at that computer for several hours, “When do you plan to stop?” He did not bother to look at her as he started to head for the lift and threw his comment over his shoulder, “When the case is closed.”   
Everyone was present but J’onn and Cassie, who had lost track of time. They had just been laughing about Cassie’s terrible first day at the flower shop. She had slid on a puddle and fell into a pile of manure in the back and spent the rest of the day blaming the smell on the owner’s dog. At the time she did not find it amusing but retelling it, she could not help but smile. It made her feel normal for a moment, almost human. Part of her missed the simple things like that flower shop, the only complicated thing about it was not getting thorns in your fingers. However, it was lonely too. She glanced over at J'onn and his smile was like a breath of fresh air. It was relieving to see someone smile around her again, but just as his smile appeared it dissipated. Green Lantern was calling him on the comlink and he politely excused himself, turning away from her, “J’onn, it’s time. Please escort her to the conference room.” His reply was barely audible, “Of course.” He moved back to her and felt the full pull of the artificial gravity in his movements. Whatever brief levity they had was gone as Cassie realized what was asked of him. He offered a hand to her, “They’re ready for us in the conference room.” She slid to the edge of the bed, pushing herself to stand and ignored his offered hand. Her muscles caved in and her knees buckled. Within seconds he caught her, “Let me help you.” She hesitated not wanting to have assistance, but unable to pull herself up she gripped his arms and he helped her into a standing position. He moved to her side and placed his hand on her back just below her shoulder blades for support. She stiffened not wanting to rely on him. Years of only needing herself crept in along with the terror of what she was walking into. He caught her eyes and softly, “I cannot begin to understand how difficult this situation must be for you, but I want to help you. You have little reason to trust me, I know, but-” She cuts him off by making a bold choice to put her arm around his shoulder and lean on him for balance. There was something about the sincerity in his voice that broke through her thoughts. After all, with everything he had done for her, she had no reason not to trust him. They were silent as they made their way down the hall and Cassie tried to suppress her fight or flight response. Over the sound of her pounding heart, she heard J'onn's voice, “Are you alright? You don’t have to-” She cut him off trying to find enough breath for her words, “Let's just get it over with. I-just,-I need to know- that I-” J’onn stopped with concern, “You mean, the vault.” She could only nod. He again sought her eyes, “You won’t face it alone, I’ll-we’ll be right there with you.” Cassie looks away, “I’m not sure that’s a comfort.” Before J’onn could inquire further Batman was passing them with files and a flash drive piled in his arms. Cassie’s eyes widened in terror, “Is that all on me?” Batman stopped but did not turn to look at them, “There was more than this. This is the abridged version.” Batman did not wait for a response and once the door slid open he continued into the room. It was like he knocked the wind out of her. How could there be so much information? How much did she not know? She had to keep going if she was going to start getting answers. J’onn patiently waited for her to collect herself. She started to move again and they reached the door. For Cassie, the final steps were like trudging through mud and waiting for the door to slide open felt like a century passing. Nothing in her wanted to continue but the small flame hope, the possibility of closing this chapter in her life drove her onward. The door slid open and the room became quiet. Everyone seemed unable to look at Cassie and the room was filled with mixed emotions. Her eyes were caught by the largeness of the room and the business-like tone to it. Observing the room she noticed the back wall was a solid window showing the expanse of the space, there were a few plants dispensed throughout the room, the ceiling was a high ceiling with structural metal beams, and finally the walls were of off-white tones. In the center of the room was a round white table with white plush office chairs circling it. At each chair position, the table had a holo-screen and USB port. As she observed the room, she was careful to avoid eye contact with any of the members. She felt as if you could cut the air with a knife the tension was so thick.   
J’onn helped her into the seat closest to them then, dutifully sat down off to her left. Batman was at the opposite end of the table near the main computer console and plugged in the flash drive. Small screens lit up in front of the leaguers filled with the data he had gathered. He had created a brief summary version along with photos captured from the files. Cassie was both fascinated and terrified of the screen in front of her, she did not venture to touch it. He then nodded to Green Lantern, who was seated in the furthest seat on the right from Cassie. He stood up and faced her in a posture that the military would have been proud of. She noted that his gaze was just slightly dogging her own and it was the only hint he gave of his discomfort in the whole affair. His voice was mechanical with an edge of being rehearsed, “During this interi-,” He clears his throat to correct himself, “-Process, J’onn will be scanning to tell if you’ve told us the truth. There is nothing to hide here and what is brought up in this room remains among us. Do you understand?” Cassie was hung up on his mistake and that spoke volumes of her situation with them, she was indeed in an interrogation. Her gaze dropped to her hands, that were carefully placed in her lap, and her voice was barely above a whisper, “Yes.” Superman who sat on Cassie's right shifted uncomfortably, Hawkgirl was listening but was busy typing away on a report. Her hologram sat between Green Lantern and Superman. To Cassie’s left, J’onn’s eyes were glowed faintly as he kept an open connection to her. The next seat beyond him was Flash, who was speedily flipping through the data, intentionally avoiding eye contact with everyone. Finally, Wonder Woman was seated after Flash and her eyes were fixed on Cassie, not sure what to make of her. Part of her embraced Cassie because of the sisterhood but with the mystery surrounding her situation it was hard to trust her.   
Cassie felt cold and her hands softly wrapped around her elbows. She realized the thin scrubs she was wearing were no match for taking the chill out of her bones. She wondered if it had been wise to eat right before this as her stomach began to do flips and tighten up. She took a long hard swallow try to keep everything down. To top it off, her mind was racing, why would they do this to her? What had Batman found that warranted this? It was as if Dr. Drake was whispering in her ear, _‘Monster,’_ it rang out in her mind, _‘My monster.’_  
She snapped back to reality when Batman put up the first photo. It was a family photo, she could not believe there were any left after losing their home in the Bronx. Her knee-jerk reaction was a gasp that was more audible than she planned. In the photo Cassie was five and her parents stood behind her, all three smiling. She barely remembered the trip, the air was cool and technically the beach was closed but it was the first time in a while her parents were off together so they wanted to make it special. The photo was taken outside of the aquarium where Cassie had just finished dragging her parents around to look at all the sea-life. Her favorite had been the walrus but, that did not matter anymore. The love and light in their eyes were gone and she would never see them again, at least, not in this life anyhow. Would all her joyful memories be tainted as such? J’onn found himself inching closer to the edge of his seat ready for any unexpected reaction from her. He was also being careful to not succumb to her emotional state because to pull the plug on this if it went out of hand he had to be calm and collected. If she even showed a glimpse of losing control he was ready, but her strength so far astounded him. Her reaction was the answer Batman needed but for the record, he asked, “Can you identify the couple in the photo?” There was no hesitation, “My parents...Mary and D’carr...sorry, technically in this photo he was Alex Mollari. How did- Was the lab-” Batman cut her off, “It was in their file...I wanted to confirm their identities. Based on your reaction I’m safe to assume you had no knowledge of their bodies being at the lab.” Her eyes got dark, “He kept both of them? I knew he was responsible for my father’s death, but my mother’s as well? He…” Her mind started swimming, “How long?” If that man had been present for both their deaths then- the worst thought crossed her mind. Her eyes narrowed on Batman and the room was pin-drop silent. Her voice grew deadly and low, “How long did he follow me?” Batman carefully choose his next words, “He, as in Dr. Drake?” He paused as he conferred with his notes. Cassie was starting to feel the warmth of her blood pumping like fire in her veins. For the first time he could not match her intense stare, “From his notes, he was assigned to your case just before the Oneida Lake boat collision. The agency, only listed in the notes as X, that he worked for was following you for much longer.” She did not hear anything past Oneida Lake as he put up photos from the news reports with the three people involved in the accident. He zoomed in on one and just off in the background was young Cassie. She remembered being terrified for her life even though she had saved theirs. Along with the boat accident photos, were those of the farm engulfed in flames, her grandparents’ farm, ablaze. There was one shot of her mother lying dead on the ground just outside the cornfield, an image that had never left her mind and still haunted her dreams. Batman, too familiar with the pain of losing one’s parents, did not look at her. J’onn was doing his best to keep his empathy for her in check but her grief was overwhelming. Green Lantern unease with the silence finally spoke up, “What happened?”   
Cassie barely heard his voice over the crashing waves of her own thoughts. The team waited for her response but she could barely speak, “It… it...it was my mother’s family home... I had...changed for the first time so-” she took a deep breath to steady herself, “So they brought me there...to help me-To help me get back to my human appearance... Two drunk men…” A tear escapes, “God, sorry...They were driving a boat and had an accident with a jet ski. I naively jumped in to save them, hence the photo. My grandparents, my mother and the farm were the cost of saving them…” Choking back a cry, “My father and I barely made it out alive.” J’onn felt her heart breaking and wanted to end this. How could this be humane, or right? He had to speak up for her, but as much pain as he felt from her he also felt a mild impatience. She was waiting for something. She was waiting for anything to help give her a reason why this all happened. He feared there was no answer to it, just like in his own life. She may have to live on just as he had to live on with many open-ended questions.  
It was if the air in the conference room had been sucked out. Superman was barely restraining himself from shutting down the meeting and walking out. No one dared with a follow-up question. If the room had been pin-drop quiet earlier, it was now more silent than space itself. Batman, not wanting to drag this on decided to continue, “ From what I have been able to ascertain the agency, X, was created after the finding of your father’s ship. They were created to investigate alien encounters and ascertain their usefulness to mankind.” Photos documenting the crash came across the screens. His small pod, smooth and sleek sitting in a crater it had created in a freshly plowed field. The metallic colors against the browns and greens of the earth made it feel like a seventies sci-fi film. The pod was open and her father was attempting to crawl out with the help of her mother, who was in a colorful sundress. Cassie had mixed feelings, seeing photos of her parents so young made her want to smile but it was drenched with the bitterness that they were being watched, no, stalked from the moment they met. The next photo was of them getting into what must have been her mother’s car. There was a small sense of childlike awe in seeing the photos because her parents never said much about it. When she asked, her mother would only say, “All I had to do was take one look at your father and I knew my life would never be the same. I love him all the more for it. I hope one day someone comes into yours and does the same.” The thought fades as she focuses back on the fact that they were marked for death since their first meeting. If this agency X had known about then since D’carr’s landing then why... Cassie tried to find the words to voice her concern as she felt her world collapsing, “Why? Why did they- just watch...what were they waiting for?” Batman gave a heavy sigh, “It may sound unbelievable but all the notes and data point to you. They were hoping for you.” Wonder Woman jumped in shocked, “How could they have possibly known that? Why would they take such a huge gamble?” Batman tries to restrain his agitation over having asked himself the same question for the last twelve hours, “Unfortunately, there’s not much there to answer that question. The only lead refers to an outside person who created and controlled the entire agency, someone above Dr. Drake. They are only recorded as The Controller. Whoever this person is, they kept their hands clean but informed every decision taken.” Cassie was barely grasping his words. Her ears rang at the mention of Dr. Drake, but the real terror was, how could there be anyone else? Everyone took orders from him, no one else- the missing day, someone- she gripped her head as the vault stopped her from pushing the memory further. Superman seeing her in agony, stood up in outrage, “Enough of this! Can't you see what this is doing to her!” All eyes went to J'onn who was rising to go to her but her voice stopped the room, “It's not that-” Cassie put a hand out to J’onn to stop, “I may have met this person, this Controller, and there’s a chance they are the one responsible for the block in my mind, as to forget the meeting. If this person was powerful enough to do that-” The room was still again. Cassie locked eyes with Batman and now understood his concern,and why he did this. What she thought was fear of her was actually the fear of the unknown, and that fear was becoming her own. Who was this unknown being and what did he want with her? Whoever was orchestrating her life was a powerful telepath at large. Superman sternly but quietly sat back down. J'onn took one more look to Cassie who nodded to him for reassurance she was fine enough and he too took his seat.  
Batman started to talk directly to Cassie forgetting the others in the room, “STARlabs wanted a weapon that could compete with the rising threat of powerful beings. Lab trials from their own petri dish mixes were proving unsuccessful and when they heard of a natural born human with martian abilities, they could not resist the temptation to fund agency X ’s project. You need to know, they not only watched you and your family but created strategic scenarios that helped direct your choices and pushed you to develop your talents.” Cassie was dumbfounded, “I don’t believe this- how could they-” He cuts her off, “When your abilities were lying dormant in your early development stage they introduced a friend and a bully. They then created a scene with you and said bully, who pushed the right buttons that opened you up to your first significant change.” A photo of her at schoolyard filled the screens. Cassie nearly snapped the edge of the table slamming her fist down, “No! They couldn’t- I-” everything felt like it was spinning. It was all a lie. Her life up till now was a lie. It was all a game and she was the pawn. She was a pawn all her life and she could not see the chess board. Every choice she had ever made, were any of them her own or was it just another calculated move by this Controller? Who was he, who was this being sitting at the table shifting the players around her? All the death that surrounded her life, the deaths she blamed herself for years for, were they just strategic losses to him? Whoever this person was she had to find him and shut him down for good. Her life would never be her own until she did. Anyone around her had been in danger. If she had only known how many would have been spared? They put a sealed vault in her mind...manipulate her life- God what did they want from her? The truth was giving her more questions than answers and her head was drumming in pain. Rage was pouring into grief and grief was pouring into questions she needed to find answers to. She thought she could find some peace with taking out Dr. Drake because at the very least no one else would suffer and she could begin to put the past behind her, but he was just a cog in a larger machine. She knew there was something more to her rage that sent her over the edge to kill him but part of her hoped she would never have to find out why. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She had mindlessly wrapped her arms around herself, this was all far from over and if anything she was back at the beginning. She looked at the screen and Batman had put up the next photo which was of one of the worst nights of her life, her father’s death. He was covered with a sheet as Dr. Drake stood over him and field hands were spreading out canvassing the pier, she could only assume they were looking for her. She tried to fight the tears from coming back again but she could never escape the pain from that night. Her fear mixing with D’carr’s, the adrenaline running and then the silence of death. Watching Cassie closely, Batman carefully continued, “After killing your father they lost track of you. With a team landing on Mars, they were ordered to divulge their collected information about Martian life forms. No one anticipated stumbling across the White Martians. Dr. Drake from his notes had become obsessed with you and thought that the invasion would flush you out. Before capturing you, he was taking genetic material from your parents and trying to recreate you in a dish. The effort was proving futile. Then, when they caught you their attention was on turning you into the perfect super soldier. Everything of your existence was wiped clean and to the world you have never existed. They wanted to ensure your obedience and not have anyone remind you of your previous self. With your family dead he assumed nobody would try to find you and the few that asked questions, he took care of.” The next image was of Cassie slammed into the ground, face down as soldiers surrounded her outside of the school. It must have been just after the White Martians were defeated. From the school running towards her was, Eleanor… She choked back another wave of grief...another victim to this insane plot. How many more people had to die because of her?   
Batman continuing, “All this leads up to a missing day-” She interjected, “I know there’s a block in my mind not allowing me to remember it. I don’t know what happened that day, but the answer lies there.” The team looked to J’onn knowing he would be the only one to confirm and assess what they were able to do about it. They waited for him to speak up. He dreaded this, it was one of those times he wished he had never shared his psychic abilities with them. He looked to Cassie and was concerned about her unstable mental state. Though she put on a brave front, he could sense all the rage, grief and fear underneath. Possibly the fear was of what they would find, or possibly that this nightmare she was in would never end, but she still looked to him with a defiant determination. She may have felt fear but she was doing everything to deny and suppress it. The weight of the world fell square on his shoulders and though he thought she was unprepared for it, she needed to know what stood on the other side of that vault. He looked to the team, “I should be able to remove the block, but the process will be painful and once I start there’s no going back.” His words hung in the air.  
Superman stood up and felt like the room was suffocating, “I motion for a recess. I think we could all use a breath of fresh air, clear our minds and make a decision about this after.” J’onn was about to second it when Cassie spoke first, her words were full of weight, “No. I appreciate the sentiment but the truth is this decision is mine alone, and I have already made up my mind on it.” Superman started to rebuttal but his words fell on deaf ears as Cassie looked to J’onn and with a strong tone, _‘I have to. You must.’_ Superman was still in mid argument, “If she wants it removed then that is her right to choose, but what I am arguing is that we don't need to be present and invade her privacy-” Batman jumped in, “If you're not up for it then by all means, there's the door.” Flash stood up in defense of Superman, “She is entitled to her privacy!” Wonder Woman stood in support as well. Hawkgirl had already turned her back on the meeting consuming herself with something on the monitors on command deck. Green Lantern thought long and hard while the others were bickering back and forth. Finally, he spoke up, “We don't have any guarantees on what will happen to her when J’onn does this. For everyone's safety someone should remain with them.” Batman seconded him. It came down to J’onn who looked to Cassie, _‘What is your opinion on the matter?’_ She honestly did not care anymore. All her secrets were already exposed, they knew more than she had even known about herself, what was one more thing? She looked around the table at the team, taking in their glances, concerned etched in their eyes and, though not all around the table would say it, they appeared to care more about her than she did at this point. Maybe that was part of being a team full of outsiders, you have compassion for others like yourself. As it was she believed the truth always finds its way of being exposed anyways. As it was she had nothing to lose. Anyone or anything she cared about were gone, and there was nothing for her. Her eyes met back with his and her mind was set, _‘They'll know eventually. Truth sets us free.’ J’onn did not agree, ‘Perhaps but to endure such a process as this-’_ She cut him off, _‘In this way, maybe I can prove to myself and to them that no matter what happens, I am not the monster Dr Drake wanted me to be._ ’ J’onn refusing to accept that, _‘I do not believe you to be a monster.’_ Flash touched J’onn’s shoulder stopping the conversation, “J’onn, we need your vote.” With a last look to Cassie he regretfully turned to the team, “I am accepting of those who decide to stay. Although, if you wish to leave that is your choice as well.” Silence. No one dared to move a muscle. All eyes were on each other as they tensely waiting to see if anyone would leave. Flash made the first move by looking to Cassie as if searching for some sign from her. Sensing it she gave a small nod of acceptance that it was okay to stay. He slowly sat back down and Superman who was observing the exchange followed suit. Wonder Woman followed his lead as well. Batman carefully gauged the room then, spoke up, “It's settled.” J'onn rose and began to lead the meeting, “Please, relax your minds and I'll link us together before entering her mind.” Hawkgirl’s attention was once again captured by them and she was more than grateful for watch duty. The whole telepathic connection and entering another’s mind was not her cup of tea. Just give her hand to hand combat any day.   
Once the team was linked J'onn moved to Cassie. With his eyes glowing red and peering into hers, “Are you ready?” She took a deep breath to steady her nerves, “As I'll ever be.” He placed his hands gently on her temples and in a calming tone, “Try to relax. Close your eyes and empty your mind.” She followed his instructions and in a moment everything went dark. A soft amber light flickered on illuminating J'onn and Cassie in her mind. She looked around them and was confused, _‘The others?’_ He pointed to his head, _‘Right here. I’ve only allowed them to see what my mind sees without experiencing the actual link to you. I will be the only one to actually be in your mind. If things do not go as planned I can easily release them, protecting them.’_ She muttered sarcastically, _‘Comforting.’_ J'onn let that comment pass and wanted to get to the task at hand, _‘I need you to focus on that missing day and allow the vault to come.’_ Part of her believed it should have been harder to go back to that horrible place but the memories were still too fresh. Those black boots, Dr. Drake's voice hissing in her ear, the coolness of the floor against her sore aching body and the smell of disinfectant filling her lungs. She focused in on that day in particular, What happened? It echoed against the walls of her mind, what happened? The fluorescent lighting in the lab began to flicker on around them, the pristine white walls came into focus and tile floor circled them. She was just about find the answer when the vault appeared pulling her back into the soft amber glow of her mind. J’onn prepared himself for the most difficult part, the part where he would have to hurt her and not stop till the job was done. Warning her, _‘This will incur immense pain but I have to do this, I need you to trust me.’_ Cassie took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye, _‘I trust you.’_ He went to the vault and pulled down on the rotating center lock. It took every effort he had to start it, turning it clockwise. Cracks of light started to creep up away from the vault door and Cassie fell to her knees in agony. Her mind was screaming to stop and J'onn hesitated looking to her. Her eyes were wide and she screamed in agony, _‘Keep going!’_ With his full weight he gave another full spin releasing the tension on the lock. Everything shook and the cracks grew larger. Cassie had dropped into the fetal position reeling in pain. He ripped open the vault door and backs off of it. He drops down in front of her gently grabbing her face, _‘You have to stay focused and let the pain come. Don’t fight it. You’ve come too far to give up now. The door is open, you just have to accept and let the memories come.’_  
She fights to pull herself up to her knees and leans forward into his shoulder as tears come racing down her face. She has no concept of why the tears are coming, it was not from the pain of this present moment but of-They are surround by the white walls and florescent lighting once again. Everything is just out of focus and J'onn tries but is unable to determine their surroundings which could only mean Cassie had been drugged, impairing her vision in the moment. Dr Drake’s voice fills the room. His sultry but methodical tone is close to her, “Cassie? I know the drugs are not that strong...you can hear me, can't you? A twitch in the eye, good...good.” Cassie pushes off of J'onn and begins to fully live in the memory. J’onn tries to reach for her but she involuntarily slaps him away. He could only watch as the memory took her over. She laid flat on the floor as a table lifted her up and strapped down. She felt the cold harshness of it beneath her but she could not feel the usual caress of her scrubs. Instead, she feel the loose material of a hospital gown. Had he prepped her for a surgery? No, he wanted her awake enough for something. She felt exposed and wanted to cover up but her limbs were useless. J’onn tried to go to her again but her own mind was resisting him, stopping him by restraining him in chains. He tried to speak but was drowned out by Dr. Drake’s humming. She begins to tremble as she felt the warmth of Dr. Drake’s hand make contact with her cheek. His voice continues, “You’re shuttering at my touch so you can feel but, checking your pupil-” He must have taken a pen light to her eye and it blinds both Cassie and J'onn for a brief moment. “You are still heavily sedated...Fascinating. But, what else would I expect from you, my darling? Now then, you must be wondering what I have prepped you for. What I am about to do to you, you should tell yourself it isn't personal...I mean, I’ve wanted this for a while but, if it'll be a comfort to you, it’s also for science.” The sound of zipper is heard. Cassie’s heart starts to race and panic sets in. She hears him get onto the lab table with her and feels the heat coming off of his body. Cassie attempts to move, to struggle against the unseen pressure of what could only be his body above her. Tears fall to the table soaking the spots next to her head. This was not going to happen, she was not going to let him take that part of her as well. She struggles to find a voice, to fight but, she was still too sedated and could only manage a whimper. J’onn tries again to break free but the chains only tighten, pulling him further from her. He could feel her terror and panic, what was the point of this? Dr. Drake's voice becomes a husky whisper as she feels his fingers trace the outside of her figure, “See, we need to combat this vigilantly hero threat...and we need an army to fight them.” He places a soft kiss on her forehead, “You possess the genetic traits we need, but brainwashing you is ineffective and my financial backers are breathing down my neck for a solution.” He kisses her neck, “Cloning you is impossible, your DNA is too unstable without the mind to control it…” She feels him start to shift his weight and his hand caress her outer thigh, “So I want to see if a more _traditional_ method will allow you to pass down your traits to a blank slate where we can have fresh subject.” He stops for a moment and scoffs, “Of course the board and my peers will not approve such a _‘human rights violation’_ which impedes me from finding you a better mate…” He brings his face against her cheek and whispers in her ear, “Then again, I’d be too jealous.” He kisses her cheek and Cassie tries to fight again but only lets out another whimper.   
J'onn, mortified, manages to break one of the chains off but needing more strength he goes to release the minds of the league when an unrecognized voice stops everything. “How dare you!” There’s a sudden release of pressure on Cassie and, what could only be Dr. Drake’s body hitting the floor, is heard. The voice had a low tenor quality and the weight of years behind it. It was smooth but commanded authority, “You were told not to touch her! This was not part of the plan!” Dr. Drake sounded powerless for the first time, “I don’t understand...you said she’s the key to-” The voice interjects, “I only said she was the key to ending them…” Dr. Drake sounding like a punished child, “Then what is the plan? She doesn't respond to brainwashing and we can’t clone her-” Cassie tries to focus on the second voice but she can only make out a masculine figure in the hue of blue. He harshly scolds Dr. Drake, “You don't need to know the plan, only your role in it. You were specifically told to study her, work to enhance her abilities and keep her here till it was time. This could have destroyed what I have already worked so hard to achieve!“ His voice softens as the figure gently reaches for her temples, “My dear, I am _so_ sorry for this. I am going to wipe your memory of today, think of it, as a gift. I don't need you tainted, you are far too important.” She feels his mind reach for hers and a hue of blue starts to cover her mind, but she resists him. The strain of trying to keep him out causes her to start shaking violently. J'onn snaps the second chain and breaks free just as she rolls off the table and is about to hit the floor, he catches her laying her down gently on the floor. He tries to prop her up on her side as her eyes roll back and she starts into a full seizure. Everything around them is shaking as the hue of blue hangs over them. Dr. Drake scrambling from the floor is heard and he jerks the figure’s hands away from her, shouting, “You’re about to kill her!” The figure looks to something J'onn could only guess was a monitor and hears him mumble, “Maybe I’ve underestimated her strength.” The figure gently whispers into her ear, “So you won't let me erase this, huh? Well, let me make it impossible for you to remember it on your own. If for some reason you do find someone to break the lock and you persist, well...You're going to impress me very much. Now rest.” She feels a needle prick in her neck and everything goes black, as if her mind flatlined.   
Hawkgirl watched the room closely, careful to notice even the slightest change in anyone. When Cassie fell from her chair and was convulsing against J'onn who had collapsed to his knees, Hawkgirl went literally flying down to the next floor, only stopping to grab a medical kit. By the time she reached the conference room the other Leaguers were coming to. From their lack of movement J'onn and Cassie must have still been in her mind. Hawkgirl went to take her helmet off and put it on J’onn to pull him out, when Flash stopped her, “Let them be for moment.” Judging by the league’s faces and mutters, whatever they saw was disturbing to say the least. She put the helmet back on, careful to watch for any signs not to. She knelt down to Cassie and started to connected her to the medical kit.   
J'onn could not see anything, he had released the others but did not want to leave till he knew Cassie's mind was awake again. He could only feel her limp mind in the arms of his own. The being in blue...Who was he? Who could be so strong to put up a lock on her mind but not strong enough to wipe it? How much stronger was she? There was a potential for her to be stronger than himself… how could a someone only half martian and untrained be so powerful? Could she be more powerful than the league itself? It’s what the blue being seemed to suggest. Was that the plan he had for her? J’onn pushed the thoughts away not wanting her to hear them. A dim amber light started to glow above them, indicating she was coming out of it. Her mind’s eyes wretched open and she pushed herself out of his arms in a panic. He tried to calm her down and reached for her, _‘You’re safe now...it was a memory.’_ She evaded his hand and pulled her knees to herself, _‘I-know-I- I need-I just need space...please.’_ J’onn was a little hurt by her rejection but he quietly stepped out of her mind.   
J’onn comes to and the room grows quiet. He does not bother to take in anyone but Cassie, who still laid lifeless on the floor. He gingerly maneuvered Cassie’s body into his arms, stopping Hawkgirl from continuing to prep the med kit. He darkly speaks to no one in particular, “I’m taking her back to med bay.” Hawkgirl goes to follow with the medical kit but J’onn again stops her and disconnects it, “She’ll be fine physically. When she wakes, she is going to want to be alone.” Hawkgirl is taken aback by his coldness, “Of course.” J’onn, though many of times was the one to have to deliver terrible news, was warm with his words and for the first time that warmth was gone. He left and she turns back to the team, “What happened?” Wonder Woman was near sick to her stomach, “The truth- was not what anyone would have suspected. That wretched man, Dr. Drake-” She she cannot find the next words. Green Lantern spoke up, “He attempted to _force_ himself on her. If someone had not stopped him- needless to say this meeting is adjourned.” He walks out. Hawkgirl can only manage, “Barbaric...it's a good thing he's already dead.” She follows after Green Lantern knowing he would want to discuss this further with someone. Superman corners Batman and is clearly pissed off, “I hope you're satisfied now! We've forced her to relive hell and for what? Prove what you already knew- that someone is out there still hunting for her? She’ll never be able to forget this-I'm disgusted we allowed any of this!” He storms out. Batman can only manage to lean forward placing his elbows on the table and his hands to his temples trying to maintain his composure. That's why there were gaps in the footage and data was missing, Dr Drake was covering up his mistake. They could not alert anyone to this being’s presence. He had even more questions and almost no answers. He had never believed something so horrific- was that worth the information they got from this being? What did he mean by, ‘Cassie is the key?’ What was the master plan and were they already playing into it? Flash for the first time felt slow, unable to keep up with the others exiting. The guilt of letting this happen was weighing him down. Wonder Woman made her way to Batman and she carefully placed a hand on his shoulder, “So what do we do from here?” Her words seem to echo in the nearly empty conference room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like what you read? Let me know! Leave a comment, give a kudo!
> 
> Be on the look out for the next chapter, "The Mind of a Hero"


	5. Chapter 4: The Mind of Heroes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter is a littler shorter than I wanted but with everything going on I wanted to get something out. This chapter is darker but have no fear, good things are ahead for dear Cassie.

Cassie sat in the corner of her mind not wanting to feel anything. That man, he tried to- she could not finish the thought. The anger she felt when she killed him came from that. It was why every moment he had been near sent chills down her spine. His lust was the death him and she was the instrument he used. She wanted to feel no regret for what she did, but his ghost haunted her. She never wanted blood on her hands, though if it had to be anyone’s, at least she could take solace in the fact that it was his. Forgiveness was such a distant feeling, she would find forgiveness for herself, but for him? For what he made her become? The monster that sat just beneath the skin, waiting to claw it's way back out.  
She shifted her thoughts to the league. How was she going to face them? Did this add fuel to their fear of her? Or, would they now pity her? She hated both thoughts. They knew as much as she did and that was cause enough to cause trust issues. There were more questions than answers and she needed answers. She needed the freedom to control her own life and to do that, she had to find this being who was manipulating her life. Her mind was still in a protective ball, knees pressed up against her chest and arms wrapped tight around them. She knew the minute her mind began to relax all the pain would come flooding back. Did she want to face that? She could simply let go, stop fighting. Her family and all that she loved waited just beyond the next door of life. Her dark thoughts were interrupted. She felt a warmth near her, it had to be him, J’onn, who was most likely watching over her. After everything she had experienced why was his presence so comforting? He understood pain. He must have lost so much after Mars was destroyed, the death of loved ones seemed to be something they had in common. Was there a purpose in them being survivors of their own horror stories? Maybe it was worth hanging on, even if it was for only another moment, to find out his story.   
Besides, if she were to end everything now, she would be allowing Dr. Drake to win and she hated to lose. It would demand of her to give everything into training and mastering her abilities, if, she did indeed decide to face life head on. What else could she do, go back to her life at the flower shop? She knew deep down that was never where she belonged, she was using it to run from her destiny. Maybe, this was destiny’s way of drawing her back. She had to find the strength to deal with her past, to deal with what happened to her, or it would all consume her. _‘Small steps,’_ her father’s voice echoed throughout her mind, _‘Yes...Small steps.’_ Her mind slowly released her knees from her chest. She reminded herself, _‘Breath.’_ With great effort, she stood up and took the reigns of her body again. It was time to wake up, face whatever laid on the other side of her eyelids, and move on.  
J’onn was careful getting her back to med bay and laying her back down on the bed. Taking his place at the chair next to her side, he refused to take his eyes off of her. Their first meeting, the violent outcry she had, it all made sense now. His moral stance was in conflict with his emotions. He did not believe it was right to take a life, but she was set up for it. Not being able to control or fully know her own power, mixed with a wrath for reasons buried in the back of her mind- no one in the league could fault her. If anything, many of them probably felt as he did, that if Dr. Drake was alive, he would not be for much longer. J’onn had not felt such a flicker of rage in years, not since the death of his own family. He snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed her shiver and went for a blanket. He caught himself in the reflection of the glass that was along the outside wall, just above the storage cabinets. He knew that she was going to need help, not only in the physical plane but also in the psychological one. That is if she was going to recover from all of this. He was the only one with the ability to help her, but would he be able to handle it? Though their pasts were not, mercifully, identical they both dealing with pain and grief. His scars, though older, were only just below the surface of his mind. If he had not faced his own nightmares, how could he help her through hers?  
He grabbed the blanket and gently placed it over her. He happened to notice her subconsciously pull it tighter around her shoulders. He knew once the league had recovered themselves from what they witnessed they were going to want to discuss the next steps with handling her. Whatever they decided his decision was already made. He was not leaving her out alone in the word, especially not in this state. He had sworn to protect his new home but he was never expecting to find someone like her. In a sense, by not leaving her he was still protecting his new home, he was protecting it from her. 

 

CONFERENCE ROOM  
Batman did not answer Wonder Woman’s question, “So what do we do now?” Instead, he silently got up and left the room. She knew by his scowl not to pursue or press him further. She looked at the last photo still up on the display screens, it was of Cassie crashed into the road just after the fight with the White Martians. Cassie had risked her life for others, in Diana’s book she was one of them, a hero. Maybe she had been too skeptical of her. Even though they were different races she was still a sister and she was in need. She decided she would do what she could for her. After all, did they not all face similar pasts that haunted them? Isn’t that what defines a hero, facing and surviving some of the most unimaginable demons?   
Batman made his way down the hall deep in thought. He had made a grave miscalculation with Cassie. It was hard enough she had lost her family but to make her suffer through such a memory that only yielded more questions, it was the first time he admitted to being wrong. He stopped at med bay and looked through the glass to J’onn, who was carefully watching an unconscious and still Cassie. There was a feeling...guilt, something Bruce had not felt for years except, for when his parents were killed. He focused on the matter at hand. He knew with this telepathic blue being somewhere out there, it would not be safe for her to leave the sight of the league. He also owed her a better life. Silently he vowed to protect her as if she were his own family. J’onn glanced over to him as if hearing Batman’s voiceless vow and stood up heading towards him. The med bay door slid open and J’onn quietly waited for it to shut again. Batman prepared himself for the scolding he presumed was coming, the one he deserved, but it never came. J’onn just stood next to him and looked back through the glass at Cassie. In what Batman always thought was J’onn’s more stoic tone, “She has quite the road ahead if she ever wants to be free from this.” Batman joined him in looking back at her, “I couldn’t agree more. The next, best move would be to keep her here, where she can receive the best training under watchful eyes.” J’onn could not help but smile just a little, “So the dark knight does have a heart after all?” Batman did not even flinch, “No, it’s the only _logical_ solution. With another powerful telepath out there hunting for her and her abilities unchecked, we would be foolish to let her roam free. I have some business to attend to but I want to be alerted when she wakes up. There’s still a matter to discuss with her.” J’onn gives him side eye and with a touch of a scathing tone, “What more could you possibly need?” He deserved that one and resisted the urge to match his tone, “It’s not for myself. I found her parents’ bodies and I’m sure she would want to lay them to rest.” J’onn could not hide his shock, “They were at the lab-” Batman interjected, “I was able to get them out before the place was terminated. They’re in a safe location but, for her sake, she should be able to choose what happens to them now.” He takes a last glance to her and starts to head for the lift when J’onn calls out to him, “You may not have a heart, but you certainly have honor. This gesture, however, seems to be about more than that.” Batman turns back, “Her and I have something in common, something I would never want for anyone.” He went to the lift and left. J’onn understood. Batman may not share much about his life but it did not take a telepath to know when someone was dealing with the death of their family. In fact, he had a suspicion that it shaped Batman into the hero he was now.   
He went back into med bay and took his seat again. He could only hope that she would use her past as a defining tool for a better future, for the hero she could be. He thought about the last photo, the one of her fighting the White Martians and it struck a chord in him. He brought himself back to that day before the league was formed. Discovering their susceptibility to sunlight, they were turning the tide against the Imperium, the central mind of the White Martians. He had made an all call to every mind he could reach to fight back using sunlight. He realized she was the one he had connected to that day, she was the telepath that he had sought. He thought about the interviews and the few people that were brave enough to talk about her actions that day. They called her courageous, determined, and described how she would not leave anyone behind. She risked being exposed to save a family trapped in a building then protected her neighborhood from becoming fodder for the White Martians. He did not doubt she had the heart of a hero but, was her mind going to be able to handle the call of a hero? Would she be able to pull the broken shards back together?  
Wonder Woman had made her way out of the conference room, powering down the screens as she went. She felt as if a weight had been placed on her chest from the guilt of not embracing Cassie sooner. She should have supported a fellow sister in good faith, not after learning her story. She was so protective of her new family, she feared what the threat of outsiders would do to them. Cassie was not an outsider, not anymore, clearly, she was one of them. Dr. drake had gotten what was coming to him. There was no doubt that she had the potential to be an amazing warrior and the only thing that could hold her back now was herself. She stopped in at med bay and quietly came up to J'onn, “How is she?” J'onn did not move to acknowledge her presence but spoke softly back, “It's hard to tell. Physically she’s healing just fine but until she wakes...” Wonder Woman nodded, “Of course. I’m sorry I did not mean to disturb either of you. I just-” He raises a hand to her, “Showing concern is never a disturbance.” She nodded, “Of course. I’ll come by after my next rotation and check in on her.” He nodded, “Thank you.” She left still unsure of why she came in the first place. She guessed that she just wanted to show her support, even if it was a little late.   
Quiet hours bled into days as J’onn and the team waited for her to wake. The team had briefly convened and agreed that if Cassie chose to, she could stay with them. Many of them wanted to help her sort out her abilities and learn how to protect herself. They agreed that whoever this being was, was going to come for her eventually and no one wanted to be caught off guard. J'onn, Wonder Woman and, to everyone's surprise, Batman offered to train and work with her. Flash and Green Lantern worked on setting up one of the dorms in the Watchtower. Hawkgirl, though content to add another woman to the team was still distant about the situation. She did, however, offer to be a sparring partner whenever Cassie needed it. Superman with the help of Lois put together some homely touches to her dorm and filled her closet full of outfits to wear. Batman went a step further and reached out to Lucius Fox, asking him to work on a specialized suit that would be capable of responding to her ability to change her molecules. Lucius revealed at the challenge. The Past few days were a bustle of preparation as she slept. J’onn was in med bay every moment he could spare and was enjoyed the peace, especially, after answering questions that apparently everyone believed only he could answer about Cassie. Towards the end of day four, the team was away dealing with a fire and decide it was best to leave him behind. He welcomed it, fire wreaked havoc on Martian minds it was the only weakness for Martians. It was said their race was created with a genetic default to fear it. There was a lore that a race of Burning Martians existed but because they fed off the psychic energy of others’ suffering and grief the Guardians of the Universe deemed them unfit to be near civilized life and genetically modified them into what Martians were now. Fire presented chaos and chaos for a telepath led to death. J’onn never fully accepted Martin lore as fact but he did know first hand how a fire would overwhelm his mind and render himself useless. His gaze went back to Cassie’s sleeping form. He was far more content to sit here and wait for her. It did not last long, though, his com buzzed with Green Lantern on the other end, “J’onn we need you down here! The fire is out of control here in California, we need you to help scan for survivors.” J’onn took one last look to Cassie and regretfully called back, “I’m on my way.”   
Cassie began to feel the bed beneath her and the softness of a blanket wrapped around her. She started to hear the quiet hum of the computer monitoring her but her eyes resisted opening. Her mind felt cold, empty and numb. She sought the warmth she would felt from J’onn’s mind. He had done so much for her, she was sure without him, she would have died. She realized if there was anyone on her side, it was him. She felt a flicker of her old courage and thought she could face this next unknown chapter in her life. She could not seem to find him telepathically and was mildly alarmed. She pried opened her eyes and stared into an empty bay. She tried to pick her head up but the room began to spin. Her head dropped back into the pillow. How long had she been out for?   
Flash had been the first on the scene in California so when J’onn arrived he was the first to rotate out. He went back to the Watchtower in case the others need support from there. He was watching a live video feed and listening in on coms tracking the team. He was, however, disgruntled to have been the one to leave when it was clear J'onn would have stayed. He glanced over to the med bay feed and realized Cassie was attempting to sit up and he nearly jumped with excitement. Flash was beyond ecstatic to give her the good news and surprise her with her new room. It was asked, well more demanded, that he wait till the team got back. He looked to their feed and the fire was definitely going to take several hours yet. Should he deprive her of such excitement? In an instant, he darted down to med bay. If he did not have to stop and wait for the bay door to open his arrival would have knocked Cassie over.   
She was still groggy and was stunned to have Flash standing in front of her grinning ear to ear, “How are you feeling?” She was still pushing through the fog of her mind, “I’ve had better days. How long have I been out for?” Flash quickly computed, “Almost four full days.” She did not conceal her shock, “That long! It felt like only hours ago we were…” Her voice trailed off. Flash trying to lighten the mood, “A lot has happened since then and we would like you to join us, they’ll forgive me for blowing the surprise.” Cassie could only blink at him in response. He kept going, “So what do you say, wanna be with the league? Of course, we'll help you get back on your feet no matter what.” Cassie could not find the words, “I-don’t-I just-I just don't have words. Thank you.” Flash realized how overwhelming his approach was and decided on a new tactic, “You don't have to decide anything now, but maybe I can take you to your room? I picked it out myself.” His child-like charisma brought a smile to her face and her eyes lit up with playful sarcasm, “You mean med bay isn't my room?” He laughed and relaxed a bit, “I mean if you want it to be-” She laughed, harder than she should have but the absurdity of the situation was overwhelming. Collecting herself, “Honestly, I would appreciate a view outside of a medical facility.” She carefully pushed herself up into a sitting position and was careful not to let the room spin on her again. Flash went to reach for the I.V. attached to her hand when she pulled her hand back instinctively. Realizing his error he stepped back, “I’m sorry I didn’t-” Cassie rose up her opposite hand cutting him off, “No, don’t be. I-it’s going to be an adjustment. It has nothing to do with you.” She gently untaped the I.V. as Flash dashed for a bandage. With a painful tug she took it out and Flash was careful to hand over the band-aid. She shakily pressed it on and applied pressure. Cautiously she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and attempted to push herself up into a standing position. Her muscles were jello and her joints stiff making it was hard to get her body to do anything she needed. Flash was doing his best not to grow impatient and step in to help, but he also knew the others would soon notice his absence at the monitors. He offered a hand to her, “The room is on the other side of the tower. If you’re okay with it, I can run you over there.” Cassie hesitated and looked into his eyes seeking something to trust him by. He was the youngest on the team and was always ready with a one-liner for the ladies, but he was also full of heart and innocence. She decided to take his offered hand, “Just go easy on me, alright?” He lit up, “Of course!” He carefully lifted her up into his arms and before she could blink they were off.  
Everything blurred around them as he reached the hallway and in what felt like a breath they arrived at her door. He skidded to a stop and placed Cassie on her feet. She caught herself using the wall and took a deep inhale to steady her breath. Her arm wrapped around her waist in an attempt to not lose what little was left of her stomach. Flash had tried a slower speed which obviously was still too fast for her. He uncomfortably laughed placing his hand behind his head, “Sorry Cassie...I forget how, slow down really means crawling for a speedster.” Cassie felt as if the hallway was spinning but she put on a tough front, “I’ll be alright, once my stomach comes crawling back down the hallway, where I left it.”   
He was about to appreciate her sarcasm when a call came over the com with a pissed off Bats, “Flash where are you? We need to send more javelins down here to ship the rest of the survivors out!” Flash turned to Cassie presenting her a key card, “This is the key for your room, just wave it over the panel on your right. Sorry, but I have to run!” Before she could respond the key was in her hand and he was off towards what she could only assume was the command deck. She looked at the key card for a moment, it was a simple plastic card which seemed ridiculous against a giant steel door. She found a very unassuming black box just above her right shoulder and waved the card over it. The door slid open with a mechanical click and smoothly moved to one side receding into the wall. Carefully bracing herself along the doorframe, she peered in.   
The room was small but it was filled with so much care and warmth. On several walls hung gorgeous landscape paintings of earth. One, in particular, caught her eye. It was of a New York City skyline at night hung over the bed which was across the room against the window wall. The bed had green sheets and blankets just waiting for someone to climb underneath them. At the foot of the bed built into the wall was a screen and a keyboard panel. It appeared to serve as both a television and computer. To her left were two more doors, one was open and appeared to lead to her own private bathroom and the other was a closet. On the right of her was a small desk and chair with a mirror hung over it. A pen cup filled with writing implements sat on the corner and a notebook laid in the middle of it. She stepped into the room, allowing the door to slide close behind her. She made her way to the window and noticed it was tinted and she could not see outside. She brought her hand to it trying to get a closer look when the tint changed showing her the vastness of space. The bright redness of Mars glowed through and her breath was taken away. She muttered, “Stunning…” She was careful not to touch the bedding with her scrubs that she noticed were still covered in dried blood. She realized she had yet to change or ask for anything clean to wear. She could not fault her hosts, they were focused on keeping her alive and getting to the bottom of what was going on, when was there time to realize the state of her clothes? She moved away towards the closet. They were certainly trying to amend that and make her welcome and dare she say, human?   
However, they certainly could not have- She opened the closet door and her jaw dropped. It was stuffed full of all sorts of clothing from casual jeans and t-shirts to athletic wear and a handful of dresses. She reached out to touch them in disbelief but recoiled upon seeing the dirt and dry blood that was caked in the crevices of her hands. In fact, she could not recall how long she had been since she had a shower. When it was time for her _cleaning_ they always put her under and...she shuttered. Her arms wrapped around herself. How many times had _he_ been there? Her eyes darted to the bathroom. She urgently raced in and the light flicked on by motion activation. Her feet hit the cold white tile floor and before she could think she was tearing the scrubs off. How many times was she at _his_ mercy? Every inch of her felt filthy and disgusting. The shower was a stand up one with a glass door and brass like nobs. She did not hesitate to throw open the door and rip open wide the hot water handle.   
How many times had he come so close to touching her? She found herself grabbing for the toilet in an urge to throw up but there was nothing in her stomach to lose. The smell of his breath filled her nose, and she could almost feel the slight hotness of his breath on her neck. The water was nearly scorching, and the room was filling with steam but she was past caring, she needed to burn him off of her. She was determined to do anything to rid herself of his filth and jumped in. One of the shower walls had an inset shelf with all sorts of soaps and shampoos. She grabbed the closest one, dumped it open and started to scrub with a sponge that hung on a hook next to it. No matter how hard she scraped and scrubbed, it was not enough and she wanted to scream.   
Her mind raced with memories and it was overloading her senses. The needles, the tests, the games he played trying to get her to...what? What was it all for! She threw the bottle against the white tile. The glass door gently shook from the force of it. She could no longer see in front of her the steam was so thick. She placed her back against the tile and slide down to the floor allowing the hot water to run over her head. She brought her knees to her chest and her tears mingled with the running water.   
The last remnants of reddish brown water spun around the drain and down. Was it not enough she lost everyone she loved? _He_ wanted more than that, Dr. Drake wanted the one thing she would never give up, her heart. He was willing to take it by force, and he would have, if not for that being. The one that started this all in the first place. He may have saved her _that_ day, but did that absolve him for the years of agony he had put her family through? Maybe she could not do this, maybe living this nightmare was too much. She just wanted to die and death was going to be the only true full escape from him. She grimly noted that it was unfortunate she only had a shower and not a tub. A voice pierced through her mind, _‘Cassie? Are you alright?’_ It was J’onn telepathically calling out to her. Had he heard her troubling thoughts? She did not want to answer cause she knew there was no decent answer. She was so numb she could barely feel the fact that her skin was becoming bright red and boiling under the hot water. She was not alright but telling him that would only open a door she was not ready for. She also knew silence would only trouble him further and he would push harder. She said the only thing she was trying to convince herself of, _‘I will be.’_


	6. Chapter 5: The Past of Heroes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, in an effort to be rid of this chapter I've decided to let go and stop editing over and over, and move on. So I apologize that there are probably more grammar errors than usually but I'm at least satisfied with the content.

**The Past of Heroes**  
After fourteen straight hours of search and rescue in the fire, the team was exhausted. J’onn wanted more than anything to get back to the tower, especially after hours of dealing with fire which he had to fight the urge to shut down. Besides the genetic default Martians had of fearing fire it also held a particular horror for him, his brother. His dark thought was interrupted by Flash and Batman on com to each other and the news that Cassie was awake. Flash had already spoiled the surprise of her room but, perhaps it was better that way. The whole team being there would be overwhelming, even if it was in love and support. It was something he greatly admired about his new family, there were no bounds to their love and acceptance. They had positioned her room next to his to help her feel more at home. He guessed it was their mutual Martian species and telepathic abilities they were referring to. He could not begin to imagine what damage had taken root in her consciousness. He knew the havoc that the death of loved ones caused first hand, but then to be tortured and discover your whole life has been manipulated for someone else's pleasure? What kind of hell must she be in? The flight back was painfully quiet except for Flash continuing the conversation with Batman about when the upgrades for the teleporter system and when would they be completed. Flash tried to explain the difficulty in waiting for them to fly to and from the station and how it was too slow for a speedster. J’onn felt the same as Flash though he dared not voice his agreement. The javelin could not dock fast enough and before anyone had realized it, J'onn had slipped off heading towards his room. He was passively scanning as he went by Cassie’s door and picked up the word death echoing from her mind. He was stalk still and buzzed her room, there was no response. Her lack of response made him nervous and he attempted to reach out to her telepathically. She was still unresponsive and he was about to phase in when she finally acknowledged him, _‘I will be.’_ He did not want to push, so he simply replied, _‘If you require anything, I am next door.’_ Silence. Disheartened but understanding, he went to his room and phased through the door. This last week was beyond draining and he had only managed low alert naps so he welcomed the sight of his bed even though his mind was still on Cassie.  
Cassie was burning from the scalding water and laboriously found the strength to stand up. Turning off the water and opening the door to the now steam filled bathroom she blindly reached for a towel. She took the first thing her hand rested on and wrapped herself up in a big, soft, fluffy towel and went to the fogged mirror. Wiping it down she noticed her natural pale green skin was a brighter red tone like she had been boiled- well, not like, she did boil herself. The burning sensation clung to her skin and it was the first time she could feel anything. She had been numb since...she gently touched the smooth glass looking into her own eyes...since- a glimpse of Dr. Drake over her shoulder startled her. She whipped her head around so fast she nearly sputtered to the floor. She steadied herself on the sink. He was dead, he was gone, and he could no longer harm her. She looked at herself again in the mirror, her eyes narrowed in determination. She would not let him win, no one will rule her mind. The steam was dissipating and the slight breeze from the air circulation started to cool her off. She went to the closet in search of layers to maintain some of the warmth. She pulled out whatever came first, which happened to be a pair of black loose yoga pants, athletic sandals, a loose blue tank top and a black zip-up hoodie. She looked into the mirror above the desk and she did not recognize the person staring back at her. Her hair was still buzz cut short which, was the preferred choice at the lab so her hair would not tangle in the wires she was constantly connected to. If she looked hard enough she could probably still see the faint bruising around her temples and back of her neck. She could correct the hair if she focused hard enough on changing but she had no will to. Besides, what would she do with it? She hardly knew who she was anymore. She gently wrapped herself up in the hoodie. To be able to feel the soft fabric brush her skin was like a soft hug brought some comfort. For her to be kinetically aware of herself was a foreign feeling. Would anything feel normal again? Was normal even a part of her life now?  
She now lived in a space station hovering over the Earth with a team of superheroes, normal, was out of the question. She needed air, the silence in the room was becoming suffocating. Was she allowed to wander the tower? She was not their prisoner so she guessed it was fine. She went to the door but did not open it. If she went out there she would be accepting this choice, the choice to stay with them, the choice to accept her life would become the thing her family feared most-exposed. She took another look around the room, fingerprints of their belief in her but part of her realized, what if they did this all out of pity? So what if it was? She would have to work three times harder to prove she did not need anyone’s pity but that she could stand tall on her own two feet. That's what she had to focus on, becoming whole again, and learn the full extent of her capabilities. She did not want to hide anymore, she ultimately did not want to die, at least, not today. She stepped closer to the door and waited for it open. Nothing happened. Typical, no dramatic exit this time. She looked for a control along the door frame and found a touchpad that when her hand connected to it the door slid open. She stepped out into the hallway and glanced down both ways. It was quiet and there was no one around. She looked at the door next to hers, he had said if she needed anything... Still stumbling from time to time, as her legs grew accustomed to movement again, she made her way to J’onn’s door. She put her hand up to knock on it but realized knocking on solid steel would be useless. She looked for some sort of buzzer or button.  
J’onn had just rinsed off and collapsed into his bed. The room was dark and stark. There was no semblance of any sort of “homey” touches except for a cork board that hung over the desk. It was filled with newspaper clippings from the White Martian Invasion and handwritten notes from the interviews he conducted after that day. The closet was empty because, well, as a shapeshifter there was no need for clothes. The room layout was the same as Cassie’s. He tapped on the glass revealing space and more importantly, Mars. Now in the safety of his own room, he shifted back to his natural tall, thin, and angled edged martian form. He was just starting to unwind and fade into unconsciousness when he faintly heard the swoosh of the door next door. Having ultra sensitive hearing had its downside in a station filled with machinery. It was one of the reasons why his dorm was so far removed from the rest of the station. The other reason was to keep the minds of the others away. They had no idea the demons he faced in his at night. He had initially been against moving Cassie so close but he could not deny their logic without giving away his own problematic state. She needed isolation and quiet just as much as he did and he could only imagine the night terrors she would face. Also, who could deny her one of the best views of Mars? It seemed like the planet was particularly shining brighter tonight. His thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like feet in front of his door. Everything in him wanted to stay in bed but assuming it was her, he slowly rose and made his way to the door.  
Cassie had just found the buzzer when the door slide open startling her. Inside was dark and she could only make out his tall silhouette. His eyes faintly glowed red as the only main source of light in the room. She immediately blushed with embarrassment and tried to collect herself, “I-I uh...I’m sorry to bother you- it’s just- well...I don’t know where anything is and-I, I-I just need some air...I mean I just-” He rose a hand to silence her, “I’ll show you around.” She could not look him in the eye, “I can ask someone else, I don’t want to bother-” He cut her off, “It would be my honor, Cassie.” He took another step closer to the hallway allowing the hallway light to capture his Martian form. She was reminded briefly of her father and the awe she felt the first time she saw him change. J’onn noticed her stare and realized he had not gone back to his hero form. He reformed into his slightly shorter humanoid form with a blue cape, shorts, and boots. Now he was the one embarrassed, “I’m sorry, I did not mean to appear so informal.” Cassie gently shook her head, “Don’t be. To be honest it was comforting. I mean, it reminded me of my father and a sense of home. That is the weirdest thing I’ve said so far today.” J’onn smirked, “The day is not over yet. You have plenty of time to say worse.” She was impressed with his witty remark. He gestured forward, “Shall we?” She nodded and they slowly made their way down the hall.  
All the halls were pretty much identical, smooth polished steel walls spotted with heavy sliding steel bolt doors with some that had side panels identifying the rooms. At the end of the hallway they turned left and a huge space opened up into some couches and tables. Television screens were scattered throughout the left wall. On The right was a floor to ceiling glass wall that in this current rotation showed a sliver of Earth. The sun was just fading on the western hemisphere putting the Watchtower into its night cycle and the main lighting dimmed. At the far end of the room was a kitchen. As they walked more into the space she noticed the kitchen was fully stocked with almost anything she could imagine. Puzzled she asked, “How is this place so stocked? Who does the grocery run?” He chuckled, “With metabolisms such as Flash’s I do not believe we could afford not to be fully stocked. Batman has a network of people who work to keep this place efficient. You have not met any of them yet because it is the weekend.” Cassie burst out laughing, “You have weekends on this station?” J’onn did not comprehend why she was laughing, “I’m told that is a normal human thing to have.” Cassie through her laughter, “You’re a team of super beings who are on call twenty-four seven, in space, but have weekends for your workers? The fact that you have workers-then again I cannot picture Batman or Hawkgirl walking through a supermarket. I mean, could you imagine?” J’onn had rarely been down to Earth for anything other than on league business but by her reaction, the concept must have been absurd. Her laughter was contagious however and soon he found himself laughing with her. Laughter, how long had it been since he found himself truly laughing?  
Cassie’s stomach growled in demand interrupting their hilarity. He chuckled, “Perhaps there is something you want, this is your kitchen as well. Feel free to use whatever you desire, whenever.” She mildly blushed at the embarrassment of the moment, “Thank you.” They walked into the fridge area and she could barely make any decisions there were so many options. She finally settled on a roast beef sandwich and as she put the finishing touches on it, he could not help but watch her. Her movements were slow and a tad shaky but he could see signs of her strength coming back. Her healing process, though remarkably faster than a human’s was still slow to that of a Martian’s. She noticed his quiet but scrutinizing stare and was a bit unnerved, “I’m sorry, would you like anything? I can make another sandwich.” He snapped out of his thoughts realizing his gaze was rude, “No- I apologize for the rudeness of my stare, I am just grateful that you are healing so well.” It was as if a shadow fell across her face and she did not look to him, “Physical damage is easy, it’s the scars on the inside that are going to take more time.” He wanted to reach for her for comfort but resisted. Instead, he softly spoke, “Yes. Unfortunately, all of us carry internal scars. You are not alone Cassie, we are here to help you in any way that we can.” She stared at her sandwich, “I know, thank you.” She started to head for the table when he stopped her, “If it is alright, I know the perfect place for you to consume that.” She smirked at his odd choice of words but decided to go along, “Lead the way.”  
They went down a small hallway off to the right of the kitchen and took a lift made of glass, allowing them to see everything as they ascended. As They reached the top floor everything became glass but the floor itself, the room opened up into a curved dome ceiling and looked like a greenhouse. The space was completely open and the glass revealed the expanse of space. Cassie began to feel so small in such a view, “It’s such a wonder that in all of the galaxy, we seem to be at the center of everything.” The elevator door slid open and he guides her out. Responding to her comment, “Earth only _appears_ to be the center because this is all you have known. For most of us, this solar system _is_ all we have known. However, Hawkgirl is from another system and for her, everything centers upon Thanagar. Green Lantern has an entire section of the galaxy to protect-” Cassie cut him off, “Yes I understand, it was not meant to be taken literally.” She thought she caught him ever so slightly red in the cheeks for the misunderstanding and she scolded herself for it. He quietly replied, “I am sorry, I sometimes don’t grasp-” She cut him off again, “You don’t need to apologize, I’m the one who is wrong.” They both fell silent. They kept moving forward into the space both lost in their thoughts when they reached the center of the deck.  
Ahead of them was a park type space that was filled with all sorts of trees, flowers, bushes and a few non-earth looking plants that Cassie could only relate to rose bushes. Off to the sides were basic wooden benches without backs to them, he brought her to one and they sat down. She inhaled deeply, it was still not anything like being in a forest back on earth but the air felt more natural than the recycled air throughout the station. She was stunned by what she saw, “I appreciate the garden but I’m a little lost on why a station such as this needs one?” J’onn looked out over it, “It was _Superman’s_ idea. We receive fresh oxygen and have a haven of sorts to go and relax, or to forget, for a moment the outside world.” Cassie could comprehend the need to push the world away, “It’s a great idea, truly. I understand, we often need to feel alone, to shut out the constant noise of their thoughts, to be yourself for a moment, even if brief. There’s nothing like it. Just don’t confuse needing to be alone with loneliness, loneliness tends to eat you apart.” Her wisdom carried the weight of experience. He noted, “You speak with forbearance.” She stared into the garden her hands wrapped a little tighter around the plate, “They’re my father’s words. The first time I was capable of hearing others’ thoughts I wanted to be alone forever. I could not handle knowing the horrible things people kept locked away in their minds,” scoffing, “ I swore to move to the north pole. I was so little. I wanted to be alone but I dangerously skirted a deep loneliness that grew in my heart. I only recently comprehend his words. Being in that place completely helpless and alone, believing I would never see another’s face again- That loneliness created a monster in me. I have forgotten how to engage with the world and yet that’s all I want to do.” J’onn feared what kind of monster he would have become if not for the league, “You are not alone. I also desire to engage with this world. If not for this team and their unwavering loyalty- I dare not to think of where I would find myself.” Cassie noted the closeness of his hand between them. Was he was trying to connect with her? Was he trying to let her into his life? Did either of them know how to?  
Cassie turned back to the view ahead of them and took a bit of her sandwich. Although her body was unsure of what to do with the food at first, she soon found herself borderline scarfing it down. For the first time, J'onn enjoyed the view as well as it was no longer a reminder that he was alone in the world. The silence was comfortable but as she finished chowing down, her mind began to wander. She glanced over at him, he was still a mystery to her. He had been on Mars during the Invasion, the night her father and herself wept for an entire race’s last thoughts of horror, he lived through. She had so many questions but was it appropriate to ask them? Would she only hurt him by bringing up such tragedy? She was staring at her empty plate which prompted J'onn to start the conversation again, “Is there something on your mind?” She was careful with her next words, “What, what was Mars like- If you don't mind me asking?” He looked out the window, could he open that door again? He glanced back at her pleading eyes full of innocence. How could he deny her such a request? She probably had thousands of questions about a life and a race she would never get to know, accept, through his memories. Finding courage he rose and walked a bit more towards the garden attempting to gather strength. She immediately regretted asking and tried to back out of it, “I didn’t mean to upset or offend you. We don’t have to say anything more about any of it, it's alright.” He realized his gesture was off-putting, he focused on his voice and kept it soft, “No, I wish to discuss and share,” turning back to her, “You have a right to know and I am flattered that you want to but, perhaps showing you would be easier. I find the garden is a calm enough place to open the mind.” Cassie shifted uncomfortably, she had no desire to have anyone near her mind even if it was someone she was beginning to trust. She hesitated, “Maybe another time, I don't believe I have the strength to-” J'onn caught her eyes stopping her, “I would not enter your mind, you would walk into mine. If you are uncomfortable and the situation still displeases you we can simply talk. Please, do not feel as if you have to protect me from reliving my past.” She scrambled for words, “I- I wasn’t implying you needed protection.” She was intrigued by his last words, was she that see-through?  
In all the vastness of space, how was it possible to meet another Martian on Earth? Another telepath who could so easily hear her thoughts. The human part of her was terrified by the idea of anyone in her mind again. Actually, she felt it was a pretty human response to telepathic abilities and outsiders in general. Although most aliens used their abilities to protect the fragile human race earth’s heroes were still hated. So why bother? Why try to fit in or work with a race who feared anything beyond themselves? J’onn was desperately trying to follow the old Martian code that to hear another’s mind was rude and distasteful but her thoughts seemed to pour out of her. He was taken aback because it was rare for two telepaths to connect in such a way due to the walls they had to raise to keep everyone else out. Could there be something more to their connection? He dared to reply, “Hope.” She snapped out of her thoughts, “Did you just-” He cut her off apologetically, “You were concentrating so deeply on your thoughts it was difficult not to pick up on them. I apologize for the intrusion.” Cassie did not look at him but spat, “Don't make it a habit…” She tried to calm her tone, “You said hope, why?” He offered a hand to help her up. She was torn on whether or not to take it but decided to push herself up instead. She was apologetic, “I’m fine, really. I appreciate the gesture.” He tried not to relay his hurt at the rejection. Pushing it aside he led her to another bench by the main window staring down at Earth, neither sat down. He decided to continue, “We have hope in the human race. Though they fear us now we hope to one day be a part of their life. For myself, I hope they will learn from our Martian mistakes and to know the peace we once did. That is what drives the team on, hope.” Cassie contemplated his words, “The dedication that comes from hope is profound but then so is humanity,” She thought back to the little girl she had saved during the Earth Invasion, “Some fear us or maybe more like they fear the change that we bring, but in the eyes of others I can see the potential for a more accepting future.” The conversation led her back to the topic of Mars that was still on her mind, “On Mars, were you all connected, telepathically I mean?” He slowly brought his hands behind him and his gaze became fixated on the sliver of the red planet starting to enter their vision. The words came with some belabored effort as he was drudging up old memories, “Yes, we were. We were all a part of the Great Voice. Though we had a culture of respecting privacy, we all knew we were not alone. There’s not even a word in Martian for alone, it was a concept I learned after their death.” Her heart broke as she searched his eyes. The devastating pain he was carrying, she bravely placed a hand on his arm. He was taken aback and caught her empathetic gaze, “I’m sorry J’onn. I didn’t mean to bring up old wounds.” He did not dare move his arm from her hand, fearful she would pull away. He weakly smiled, “I know, it’s not your fault. You wished to know what Mars was like before its death. You deserve to know your heritage.” He turned to face her and she gingerly took her free hand to his temple and his free hand went to hers. In a moment their eyes glowed a deep red sending them into his memories.

 **THE PAST: MARS**  
They stood in the middle of a reddish brown field full of a tall, thin, plant similar to wheat. The air was a dry heat and a red hue seemed to shadow everything. The sun was high and beating down upon them. In one direction the field appeared to go for miles and the other began to give way to a more suburban area. In the distant haze, the suburban area opened up into what Cassie could only comprehend to be the metropolis of this town because of the condensed tall buildings pack into the center of the area. In fact, all the buildings were tall and thin, made out of what could only be described as red metal ore and depending on the age of the buildings the colors deepened into browns. Everything had an organic texture to it and looked as if it had practically grown out of the ground of Mars itself. She could hear the faint laughter of children off to the left from where they stood and up ahead the faint sound of the streets ahead of them. She was in utter awe and dumbfoundedly burst out, _‘Wow, this is unimaginable!’_ J'onn was so caught up in the moment that he did not register her outcry. How long had it been? Time had stopped for him after _they_ invaded. Since he was awakened and escaped to earth he had never been back, but how could he go and see the rubble after knowing the beauty that his planet once was? Cassie noticed darkening clouds in the horizon and thought she could feel a slight rumble in the ground. She looked over to J’onn, it was as if his thoughts were going deeper and resulted in shaping the memory around them. She grew concerned that this was indeed too much for him. She gingerly placed a hand on his shoulder, _‘We can go back if you like. I appreciate you allowing me to have this view.’_ Within seconds the darkening clouds dissipated and he turned to her.As if nothing had happened, _‘I apologize, it has just been some... time since I’ve remembered her like this, shall we?’_ He motioned towards the city. she dropped her hand from his shoulder but hesitated to move forward, eyeing him carefully. Sensing her watchful gaze he nodded, _’Please, I insist.’_ Confident he meant it and in need of breaking the tension she suddenly bolted forward running her hands along the wheat like plants. It was like her mind had a new energy and she just wanted to be a child again. He could not help but smile at her antics and walked along behind her. There was something familiar about all of this for him but it was if the memory did not want to surface. As they approached the suburb style housing more Martians came into view. The neighbors he had protected, who would congregate at their home to talk about how their day was, the crops, politics and some he would talk extensively about the Manhunter core problems, all filled the streets. Most Martians walked to where they needed to go but a few had mopeds like bikes for further commutes. Only the traders of each commune and the Manhunters had anything that was a car like flying vehicle which could achieve any true high speeds. Manhunters rarely needed to use their vehicles but from time to time a Martian going dark was not unheard of, especially his brother.  
Cassie thought she saw what could only be described as if a screen glitched cutting through the image ahead of her. She noticed her pace had become much faster than his and she slowed down allowing him to catch up. She thought she heard him mumble something and inquired, _‘J'onn, did you say something? I didn't quite catch it, were you speaking Martian?’_ He caught himself, he must have said Mal’aefeck’s name without realizing it, _‘It’s nothing, just a name of someone I happen to remember.’_ Not letting the issue go she questioned him further, _’Whose name?’_ He hesitated, he did not want to answer and with the stare she gave him, he could not lie to her. He feared if he spoke of his brother it would somehow resurrect him from his banishment. He was also concerned that if anyone found out he let such a heinous creature live and was his family it would taint their view of him. Twin brothers could not be more opposing forces than them but blood was important to humans and shaped their views for others. She grew uneasy by his silence. Perhaps she had offended or hurt him in some way. Her eagerness to know more about her Martian heritage was clouding her empathy for his pain. She wanted to know more about him, about a world and life she would never get to experience herself but it was becoming too high of a cost. She took his hand to grab his attention, _’Nevermind. I understand. I don’t mean to push. Let’s just enjoy this moment, enjoy the beautiful parts of the past.’_ The shock of her simple gesture to take his hand brought himself back to this thought, in this moment. He was grateful to let the matter drop and almost in a whisper, _’Thank you.’_ She let her hand slip away from his and continued through the neighborhood. There was such an energy to everything as if the many individuals were moving as one body. She marveled at it. It was hard to wrap her mind around the one voice keeping them united and yet not one of them had their individuality diminished. She watched a group of kids play and though one was shyer than the others she was still very much part of whatever game they were heavily invested in. The adults were either conversing with each other as they went to and from home or doing some form of housework. It all seemed flawless like a movie and there was a general sense of peace that seemed to fill the empty spaces. She wondered if anything could be so real or if it was because his memory had morphed it into such a utopian place. He stepped on her thoughts again hearing her doubt that this could indeed be real and it was understandable.  
His intrusion once again into her thoughts was puzzling as this had never happened to him before and he was starting to wonder about a theory once presented in his philosophy studies. Attunement was like the human equivalent of soul mates or spiritual connection. The theory was that two minds could operate on the same voice or frequency allowing them with ease to hear what the other was saying and at times they could be one in thought though still separate in body. His generation had never seen such a thing and thus most believed it to be a myth including himself. Telepaths had to keep walls up in order to stay alive and sane, those walls were protection and safety, why would attunement be possible or desirable? No, he must have simply read her mind in this vulnerable position of being linked. He tried to focus back on how her doubt of the reality was not a matter of his tainted memory but truth. He glanced at her, _’It may seem strange to see such a peaceful and healthy community. I believe the fact that we were able to know each other’s hearts allowed us to be that way. The ability to know one’s thoughts made us extremely open and vulnerable to each other. Unlike with humans where many times the motivation and the heart of someone can be buried under lies and deceptions. Everything was not always perfect among us but when issues arose we would find grounds on which to discuss and work through them. My limited time on Earth has shown that this is rarely the case with humans, thoughts and feelings are often not expressed, hidden agendas rise and taint negotiations, often the thought of self comes before the thought of the whole.’_ Cassie was taken aback by his words, though not wholly unfounded she still felt defensive for her home planet, _’Maybe on a grand scale it appears that way but us humans are surprising. Often many rise in the hope of the collective good, supporting each other through the worst of times. When we realize there’s more to life than ourselves and there’s greater things out there our actions will speak louder than any thoughts. Look at my mother, she gave up her life for my father she fought hard to care for us and she was human. I think you need to spend more time getting to know humans and you’ll see the whispers of what we’re seeing now.’_ He was confounded by her defense, _’I- I didn’t mean to offense, I merely was suggesting that what you see here is not quite what you may have experienced on Earth.’_ She quelled her defense a bit, _’And I am merely suggesting that here, in the past, is not the only place you can find this. I also apologize you were trying to explain that this is really how it was and not just how you decided to remember it. However, your views of Earth seem very harsh for someone who’s trying to protect it in their waking life.’_ J’onn stood in utter silence, perhaps attunement was easier to believe than Earth ever becoming anything like Mars, yet here was someone who experienced hell and she was still defending Earth. Maybe he was wrong in passing judgement on the human race so quickly, and there was plausibility to her argument but now he was unable to process all this and maintain the memory, _’I believe this is a discussion for another time. I do not wish to ruin the moment, as they say.’_ She notice hairline cracks in the world around them and knew his mind was being overtaxed by all of this she calmed down, _’Of course,’_ she extended her hand, _’Shall we?’_  
They reached the outskirts of the city and J’onn realized what was so familiar about all of this, he had been taking Cassie down the old pathway he use to take- He could not bring himself to even think his daughter’s name. How many times at dusk would the two of them go out to the fields and watch as nightfall brought an array of celestial objects. Cassie noticed the sun suddenly setting and the stars peeking out as if some had hit the fast forward button. He did not noticed what was happening till he reached their home, his family’s home was now only steps away. How did it always come back here? It was a simple two-story building that was tall and thin like the others around it, nothing on the outside made it stand out from any other house but the way that he looked at it made Cassie knew, it was his home. He walked through the dry dusty red path that lead to the main door. He was in an almost trance-like state as if the door was calling to him. She followed close behind him being careful not to interfere. He rested his palm on the door and closed his eyes. She could not help but wonder how many times he had been here before, how many times his thoughts lead him to this door? She closer to him and placed her palm on top of his hand against the door. The move stopped him and he looked to her, she rallied her strength, ‘You don't have to face this alone. This door does not define you, as was with my door. Maybe we both need to be reminded that the past does not have to hold us there.’ The door yielded and shrunk from their hands like it was melting downward allowing them inside. She went to take her hand away when he softly took it in his as if in a desperate attempt to keep them together. Her instinct was to pull away but he had done it out of terror and she could not deny him the support, she held his hand tighter. The room was a simple living room that narrowed into a doorway and opening back up into what was a small kitchen esque room. It had a sink and counter that appeared as if they were carved out of the walls with the same red dirt type metal. She noted there was no fridge or anything that struck her as being used for cooking. Her eyes traveled to the left of the room where there was a set of stairs leading up to another floor just beyond her view. As the stairs went upwards small busts protruded from the walls, made of the same dirt texture, showing several generations of a family the most recent members on the first floor. Her eyes were drawn to one in particular, it was him, a slightly younger looking him but him nonetheless. Next to his bust was what could only had been his wife because beneath theirs was a smaller child one- he had a daughter, what a high cost he suffered. He tried to resist the urge to look but soon his eyes followed hers to his little girl. His voice was shaky, as he tried to hold back the flood of emotions, _’We should leave….I should not have come here...please…’_ The please was barely audible and Cassie’s heart broke a stray tear escaping her eye. She stepped back from the door, he paused briefly before stepping back as well and the door sealed behind them. The wall holding back his undealt emotions started to break and the ground briefly shook startling Cassie as he grabbed his head. For a split second Cassie saw a flash of the area decimated and heard unseen voices screaming out in agony as White Martian tripod like destroyers crawled through the rubble. The same ones she fought back on Earth. Fires surrounded them and she felt the voice of a small child cry, _‘Daddy, don’t go-’_ J’onn’s voice became cold, _‘We need to go. I am sorry.’_ Before Cassie could think she was shoved back into her own mind and her eyes snapped open.  
She heard J’onn groan as he started to come back to. His free hand was resting on top of hers while the other left her temple and went to his forehead. She could feel an ever so slight tremor in his free hand. She gently removed her hand from his other temple and took his trembling hand into both of hers. His eyes carefully opened as Cassie barely spoke above a whisper, “I’m sorry. I didn’t think- your family... I barely remember what that day felt like...I was millions of miles away but you had to be there first hand...I’m so sorry.” His hand felt cold in hers and he looked unwell, she regretted having ever asked him to go back. It was as if time stood still between them until he finally looked to her, “There is nothing to be sorry for. To even share such memories again, though overwhelming, is a sort of comfort. You said you felt that day as well?” She only nodded. The warmth in her hands was calmed and grounded him into this moment, into reality. He cautiously took his hand from his head to hers, she brought them into hers gently rubbing them to warm them up and bring color back to him. In an attempt to steer the conversation away from Mars Cassie focused on his hands, “Are you always so cold? Is that a part of being a Martian?” He gently shook his head, “Not necessarily, though I have found we-I, tend to run slightly cooler than humans do.” Cassie realized how personal the moment was becoming and in an effort to break the tension she joked, “Well the next time you’re on Earth get some sun and warm up.” There was another long pause as neither of them moved their hands away or could find a smile. To be open with each other in such a way terrified both of them. J’onn caught her eyes, “Thank you.” Before she could respond the sound of Batman coming out of the lift and walking towards them stopped her, both of them dropping their hands. J’onn noted that her warmth still lingered on his hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter does not have a title yet but I promise to give some fun action stuff.


	7. Chapter 6: How Heroes Say Goodbye Part 1 of 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have not forgotten this project and apologize for the long wait. In order to get stuff out faster, the "grammar" editing may suffer so apologies in advance. So Part 1 of 3 is wrapping up the previous chapter and then things really pick up so thank you for your patience!

Under normal circumstances, Batman did not care what his teammates did with their free time but he was mildly alarmed by how close J'onn and Cassie were when he walked in on them. He should have expected it, given both were telepaths there must have been an immediate connection that he would never fully understand. However, with so much mystery wrapped around her, he feared for J’onn. This blue being had a grand scale chest board and they were now all pieces around her. It was more than that though. If she did join the team, he wanted to know that one of their strongest members would not become reckless in the field because of her. Cassie was still an unpredictable force and until he saw what she was really capable of he could not bring himself to trust her, not yet. He watched her kill with no hesitation and with unchecked abilities who would stop her from doing it again? As he approached he let the train of thought go and went back to the matter he had interrupted them for, her parents. They were both quiet as he approached, “I need to discuss an important matter with Cassie, it’s about her parents remains.” J’onn looked to her, “I will let you two speak in private.” Part of her wanted him to stay but the way he spoke it was not up for discussion. He needed space after sharing such an experience, and she may have opened a door that may never close again.

He left quietly as Batman pulled out a holodisk. It displayed two cryogenic pods that D’carr and Mary were placed in. Deciding to do the “rip the bandaid off” approach he began, “As I stated in the meeting, your parents’ bodies were at the lab a floor above you. I arranged to have them removed and are currently in a safe location. You should be the one to decide what should be done.” She stood up and tried to touch the image but her hand stopped just short. There was no emotion left to be felt and her words were devoid of any feeling, “May I see them?” The pain was becoming too familiar for Batman, “I will arrange for it first thing in the morning.” He handed her the holodisk and turned away when she stopped him, “I don’t have anything to cover any costs or make any type of arrangements-” He rose a hand to stop her, “Whatever you decide will be taken care of. I’ll see to it personally.” She was dumbfounded, “ Why? To be honest, I don’t seem to be your favorite person right now.” His eyes became distant, “Because you’re not the only one to have witnessed their parents’ deaths.” He started to make his exit when he barely heard her half whisper, “I’m sorry...” 

He got into the lift and headed down to the cafeteria. J’onn was waiting by the large window staring out into space, his eyes resting on Mars. He joined in staring out, “She wants to see them. I’ll send the coordinates to you first thing in the morning.” J’onn only nodded slightly and it concerned Batman, “J’onn, is everything alright?” It was as if his question brought J’onn back from some other world, “I apologize, I heard you. There is a lot to take in. I am fine, thank you.” Batman let the case go but noted he had never seen J’onn out of his general stoic attitude before. Then again, he had been out of character since Cassie’s first message reached him. He went to leave but turned back to caution J’onn, “Sometimes in the process of saving others we lose ourselves.” He did not wait for a reply and left.

J’onn looked back into the window but instead of seeing space he stared into his own reflection, Batman’s words echoing in his mind. What was she doing to him? He stretched his hand which had lost her warmth. He had never become this close so fast with anyone, not even with his own wife, M’yri’ah. He remembered the first day he met her. He had just started his Manhunter training and she was the nurse evaluating him. All Martians were linked to some degree but there was a lasting impression she had made on him. It was something in her eyes, the fact that she had nothing to hide that it allowed her to be so open. After mustering up enough courage he asked her out and to his surprise more than anyone’s, she said yes. He did not want to burden her with the pain he had dealing with his brother and within several dates, she had realized he was holding back. She was patient with him however and it took several months of dating before he would allow her into such a dark part of his mind. M'yri'ah, his beautiful wife, learned of his family’s dark secret, his brother’s curse but she never judged him, not for any of it. His eyes grew dark with heartache and he yearned to be like humans and feel the sting of tears. He missed her so much, every day. He had sworn off allowing anyone to get close to him in that way and it was fine, till now. What was he doing? What was it about Cassie that made him go against his vows of exclusion after the death of Mars? His reflection held no answers. The thought of attunement crossed his mind again but, perhaps, it was the centuries of telepathic isolation that had broken him down his guard against someone else walking in his mind had dropped. How could he let someone already swallowed up in their own pain bare his burden as well?

Cassie did not move from the bench, her eyes watering and tears brushing through the holographic image. She realized she had never truly mourned either of her parents’ deaths. In order to survive, she had only buried the pain and grief to keep moving on. It was if the universe was giving her one last chance to deal with their deaths and attempt to find peace. She knew she did not deserve it and the thought broke her heart even more. What could she possibly do to honor them, to honor the greatest sacrifice of giving their lives for her? Neither of them ever talked about death or plans for after death. She started sifting through her memories and she could only remember one fight that had woken her up late one night as a child. 

**THE PAST**  
It was a small two-floor house and Cassie’s room was the first one next to the staircase. Everything was in shades of whites and greys, nothing that would draw attention to their house. She would always fall asleep to the soft sound of her parents talking. This night was different, though, and her parents’ voices were raised in a heated argument. She crawled out of bed and carefully tiptoe to the slightly a jarred door. With all her effort she slowly opened the door and crawled to the stairs, looking through the top bars she saw her mother’s face in her hands sitting on the couch arm while D’carr paced the small carpeted floor. Mary was trying to steady her voice as she spoke, “D’carr, you have to face the fact that I will...die before you.” He tried to interrupt but she stopped him by putting her hand out and standing up, “No! Honestly, human life spans are short, much shorter than yours. You will outlive me and I am already out aging you. I just want you to promise me,” she takes his hands to pull his eyes back to hers, “Promise me, you’ll move on and start a new life.” His voice was strained with sorrow, “You are my life. How could you ask such a thing of me? You and Cassie are my world! Right now, in this moment you are both here and I refuse to think of anything beyond that.” Mary overwhelmed turns away from him, “Cassie...she may not outlive you either. I just- I just, I don’t want you to be alone.” As Mary turned to face D’carr, he moved into her and wrapped his arms around her. He gently whispered into her hair, “It’s the nightmares again, isn’t it? Is that what brought this on?” She mumbled something into his chest that Cassie could not hear but her mother was nodding her head in agreement. He released her gently and brought his forehead to hers staring into her eyes he softly spoke, “Even if you do leave me in this current form, your life will live on in a new one. I will plant you into a tree. Cassie will always have the safety of her mother’s arms and I will always have the warmth of my beloved.” Mary started wiping tears from her eyes, “Is that a Martian custom? Cause you realize that’s probably the corniest Hallmarky thing you have ever said.” He smirked, “No, it is not a customary, I may have stolen some of it off a commercial somewhere.” She chuckled under her sniffles, “Thought that was a bit much for you.” 

**THE PRESENT**  
They never spoke of it again, well at least not to Cassie’s knowledge. She dried her eyes, found the strength to stand and carefully made her way closer to the garden. She looked at the little trees. Corny though it was, she now knew what to do. Her parents’ death did not have to end with them in the ground but in their death, she could create new life. Although a cheesy thought to her mother, it was becoming a comfort for Cassie. As memories that were repressed for the last few years crept back into her mind she realized that first light was going to take forever to come. If they had known their lives would be tragically cut short, would they have had ever had that fight? It had been so many years without them, loneliness had been her only companion. But what about now? Her mind drifted to the team, she had suddenly inherited a family of sorts. She looked down at her hands, he had been so open with her. What drew them together like this? It had to be the loneliness, the pain of death ripping away everything and the strength to carry on regardless of the guilt they carried was drawing them too close to each other. She was going to have to respect his space, not for his sake, but to protect herself. She was a walking natural disaster, a wanted woman with a target painted on her back for a doomsday clock no one knows when it will go off. To ask anyone to be involved with that kind of chaos was selfish and dangerous. Her new friends and especially J'onn had to be kept at arm’s length for their protection, she was convinced of it. Her mind had to out think her heart and though she yearned for the openness of friendship, protecting them outweighed the desire. She refused to lose anyone else because of herself. It seemed her fate that the mind and the heart would never beat in the same rhythm. Her mind was mulling over the thought as she stared at the garden until an alarm went off startling her out of her thoughts. She ran to the lift and jumped in, a much-welcomed break from her thoughts was what she really needed.


	8. Chapter 6 Part 2: How Heroes Say Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the massive delays but here is the next full chapter!

She arrived back at the cafeteria assuming that no one would be waiting for her. The doors opened and she was startled by J’onn waiting on the other side. She was taken back, “I thought you would be on the command deck.” He was hurried, “I wanted to make sure you were alright before I left.” She nodded, “It’s nothing I can’t handle.” He nodded and started to run down the hall when she realized she either should follow him or rot in her room. The choice was not hard and she shot down the hallway after him. She yelled towards him, “Hey! Do you think anyone would mind if I went to the command deck as well?” He was out of earshot and did not stop to acknowledge it. As it was she could just catch a glimpse of him at each turn as she tried to keep up. Walls blurred as she pushed harder feeling the cry of her muscles that had laid dormant for so long and the only sounds she could hear were her own panting and blood racing. She stopped just short of another lift that J’onn had gone into and when her eyes followed it up she could see the underside of the deck above her. There was a floor to ceiling glass wall and about five feet from that was where the computer monitors and screens began at the edge of the platform. If the Watchtower was alive, this indeed was the heart of it. There was such an energy to the space especially with the current view of Earth out in front of them. She became impatient waiting for the lift as she heard whispers of J'onn's and Batman’s voices. She guessed they were conferencing with the other members whose voices sounded like they were being pumped in. Whatever was happening, it had to be serious judging by the harsh tones in their voices.  
The lift arrived and she hesitated, what if she only made matters worse? But what if they needed the backup? Wasn’t she here to become a hero and stop hiding? She stepped into the lift which was of metal and not transparent giving her a moment to muster up any courage she had. The doors opened and she stepped out ready for anything, however, both members were so engrossed in pulling up maps, plans and communications that neither acknowledged her presence. Typical, yet another grand moment killed. She took in the view around her. The consul was nearly a full circle loaded with buttons, keyboards, and lights. There was a hum that came from the electronics all around them, almost as if the computer network had a life of its own. Several screens also surrounded the room. Half of the screens had live footage from the other leaguers. Superman was on one, Flash and Green Lantern on screen two and Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl on three, while the fourth screen had live news footage rolling and the last two were filled with schematics, maps, and graphs of...Gotham, more precisely Arkham Asylum. She snapped back to the news screen and read the scrolling bar, “Arkham Breakout: Criminally Insane on the Loose.” She looked back to the team, they all appeared run down from their last adventure and now this? As she eavesdropped on the discussions there were no details yet as to how the villains got out but it was going to take the full team to hunt them down and put them back again. She noted that Batman seemed ready to break something in half in rage. Then again, he had spent probably years putting them away only to have the free again. She would be furious if it was her.  
Superman was apparently awaiting an answer when he looked up and noticed her. He almost said something but thought better of it and only winked at her. The warm friendly smile he always seemed to have brought a smile to hers as well. He looked back to Batman, “What if Cassie ran point up there so that you both can be here on the ground?” Batman didn't even blink, “Absolutely not.” Flash looked up and noticed Cassie there as well and sided with Superman, “Look she’d only be monitoring us and trying to give us coordinates of activity. Plus you should be leading the charge.” Green Lantern jumped in, “And someone needs to figure out how the hell Arkham was suddenly ripped open like this.” Cassie looked behind him and saw a blast through the side of the building with debris everywhere. That was built with thick stone and concrete, how did someone just tear through it? Wonder Woman wanting to get a move on stepped in, “Let's just put it to a vote-” Batman cut her off, “My tower, my rules.” Superman rolled his eyes, “You’re seriously not going there again are you?” Cassie wondered how they got anything done like this. Hawkgirl looked to J’onn, “You’re the one who seems to know her best, what is your opinion on the matter?” Every eye was on him and there was a sense that whatever he said next would end the fight. Cassie did not realize she was holding her breath.  
He had sensed her the second she came up but now he had to decide if he trusted her. He felt he still did not know her, but what he did know was that in the worst times of her life, no matter the cost she had chosen to be a hero. He could not doubt her intuition. As the wisest one of the group his words carried much weight, “I trust her. I believe her instinct would aid us greatly at the command station.” Cassie let the air out of her lungs and remember how to breathe again. He was giving her a chance and now she owed it to him not to ruin it. Batman was reluctant but yielded since time was against them, “If she jeopardizes this mission in any way, she's done.”  
Cassie swallowed hard and it was just loud enough for the team to hear and turn around, fully noticing her. Her eyes grew wide like a deer caught in headlights. Batman grabbed a USB stick out of a port on the consul and brushed past her going into the lift. He yelled back, “The javelin leaves in five J'onn.” The other team members started disconnecting communications so that they could meet centrally. J'onn turned back to Cassie, “You know how to make an entrance.” She was stammering, “I'm sorry, I-I-I didn't mean to, I just-I just wanted to help...I didn’t mean-” He went over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder cutting her off, “I know, we do you need you here. Come with me.” He brought her over to the first computer, “Computer, voice recognition Alpha Gamma.” A slightly female robotic voice chimed back, “Voice recognize, 001 J'onn J’onzz. Command?” “Adding new member, 008 Cassie Mollari, full access granted.” “Adding member 008 Cassie Mollari.” Cassie was shocked, “Full access?” J'onn glanced at her, “I am hopeful you will be a member of the team.” The computer stopped her from responding, “Please give access passcode now-” She looked to J’onn but he just shrugged his shoulders. She bucked up and found her voice, “Passcode, D’carr sigma Mary.” There was a pause that seemed to take an eternity until the computer finally responded, “Passcode with voice recognition is now complete, welcome member 008 Cassie Mollari. How may I assist you?” Cassie could not believe she lived in a world where something like this existed. She turned to J’onn who was pulling out a small package from underneath the computer and opened it. In there was a small earbud with a touch activate button. “This is yours, this is how we all stay in communication. It will take a bit to adjust to it but you will catch on soon. If anything happens you are always allowed to reach me telepathically.” She put the bud in and touched it to turn on. She was met with mid conversations of the other members. She looked at him dumbfounded, “How do I talk to everyone else?” J’onn took her finger to it, “Feel the second groove, hit that to talk.” She nodded, “Thank you.” They held the moment just a beat too long and J’onn finally broke it and went for the lift. He yelled back, “Ask anything you need from the computer, you’ll find she’s the best tool!” Before she could even respond he had ghosted out of the room leaving her alone.

She looked back to the monitors, most were dark awaiting the members to check back in, one still had the news report and one had a map and some glowing points moving across it. She went closer to it, “Computer, what is that a map of?” “The points highlighted are the current location of the other members.” Cassie realized the points were all converging at the asylum, logical enough. She glanced back at the news report, “Computer can you turn up the audio feed? Oh, and can you bring up on a separate screen any and all surveillance of the last 24 hours around Arkham Asylum.” She tried to remember every cop or detective show she had ever seen to aid in figuring out what she needed to know now. A high security asylum must have some form of security camera network. Monitor four lit up and several angled shots of the complex came up as the sound feed pumped in from the news. “This is Snapper Carr reporting from Gotham tonight. A break in at the Arkham Asylum has allowed several criminals to escape including The Joker, Harley Quinn, Solomon Grundy, Volcana, Firefly, Luminous and Copper head. Gotham PD is asking that all civilians please remain indoors and stay on lockdown through the night. It appears the Justice League have just arrived at the scene to survey and aid in the recovery effort.” She could see the team just in the background of the shot fervently discussing something. “No details have emerged yet as to how these inmates were capable of escaping but we’ll be receiving a police statement shortly from Commissioner Gordon, stay tuned for further developments.” Cassie started to sift through the surveillance footage when she realized there was still just too much. “Computer, can you highlight the time frame of the breakout only?” “Yes, putting up on screen 7.” It was a shot of the main hallway and for a moment everything seemed normal till- Cassie had to rub her eyes and the screen to make sure but she saw, what only appeared as a shadow started down the hallway pulling apart bars releasing everyone on that floor. It was as if this being was not even there as the inmates passed through it but she swore it was there. She rewound, this time focusing on the inmates reactions. Their faces were startled and alarmed at the sudden pull on the bars but their shock was quickly brushed off with a shrug of shoulders and a focus on overpowering the incoming main guards. Her eyes were straining to watch where this ghost was heading, which was down the hallway and out of the shot. She scanned the inmates attacking the guards, looking for all the missing members but realized the Joker was not among them. He must have been housed separately, given that he was probably the stuff of nightmares from what she heard. Him alone being free would be cause enough to be so angry as to punch a wall. Punch a wall…”Computer where was the location of the wall that was blasted through?” “North, lower level, next to isolation holding cells.” “Computer, footage of those isolation holding cells before break out and play through.” She had a hunch that must be where Joker was being held.   
The screen changed and Joker was laying on a cot in his bulletproof plexi type sealed box. There was minimal furniture that appeared to be attached to the floor. She watched carefully trying to catch the slightest glitch of a shadow. She saw the alarms going off due to the break out upstairs and Joker jumping up in curiosity and glee. Moments later the glitch showed up, unseen by Joker it started working away at the computer to release the sealed door. She watched as the shadow reached through the base of the computer and pull the guts of it out. Alerting to Joker someone was there as the electrical snaps happened. She thought it was odd that the being literally could put his/her hand through the shell of the computer and rip out just the wires and only breaking the screen. The only beings that could have that much control over their form changes were...that was ridiculous. How could there possibly be another Martian? A poorly functioning one at that because a Martian in true ghost form would not be able to be picked up visually at all by anyone and she could still make them out. There were only two and both were here at the tower. 

 

J’onn could not help but feel there was another pair of eyes watching the team as they broke down who was going after who. He kept his mind open but could not pinpoint where he felt this extra presence. He would normally alert the others but they would likely brush it off as being paranoid. The facts of the case were still a mystery as the officers on duty swore they never saw anyone and that the blast through the wall came from inside the building blasting out. They had barely met anyone with that set mix of skills before. What did they have to gain from setting these other criminals free? His attention was taken back to the team as Wonder Woman noticed his distracted behavior, “J’onn is everything alright?” Her eyes were full of concern, she was always attuned to when the members were acting out of character. He collected his thoughts, “The facts of the case do not make sense, what was the goal in this?” Flash jumped in, “We’ll figure it out, right now let’s just get these guys bagged and tagged. I bailed on a date to be here and I’d like to-” Superman cut him off, “We don’t need the details. Green Lantern and Flash go after Volcana and Firefly, Hawkgirl and I will take Solomon Grundy and Luminous, Wonder Woman can handle Copperhead and J’onn we’ll need you to help scan and hunt for Joker with Harley Quinn with Batman. Everyone understand their assignments?” There were nods, “Good, remember Cassie is in Watchtower if you need her to pull anything up for you.” The team broke off leaving J’onn and Batman behind. Batman did not wait and headed straight towards the blasted wall and J’onn quietly followed. He had still not shaken the feeling of someone close to them, just watching, waiting.  
Cassie watched as the sealed door released and a very puzzled Joker stepped out and looked towards the busted computer. There was no audio but it was apparent by his body language he was trying to figure out who to thank. The figure must have spoken because Joker’s attention was redirected towards where she had made out the glitch in the screen to be. The two carried out a conversation before the glitch walked away going through a wall and leaving something attached to it flashing red, most likely the cause of the blast. Joker was for a brief moment still in deep thought before Harley came running down. He quickly went from pensive to charming and lead her to the other wall when the bomb went off blasting solid concrete. The two laughed and ran out. “Computer freeze image, reverse...hold there.” It was the start of the conversation with the being, “ Enhance image as close as possible to Joker’s face. Is there any chance of audio files from this point in the feed?” “Enhancing image, looking into the audio request, please hold.” Whoever the being was, his sole mission was Joker, everyone else was just a distraction.  
She clicked into her com and apparently the team had already split up and were trailing the inmates. She wondered if she could see the split-ups so she could decide who was assigned to Joker. “Computer, open videos to the team, please.” She waited impatiently when finally a screen was split into four subscreens. Flash and Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Superman and Hawkgirl and J’onn with Batman. Flash spoke up, “Is everything alright?” Cassie realized that video was interactive, “Well, I went through the footage of the break in-” She was cut off by Superman, “Hey we’ve got to go, warehouse south of us, police have Copperhead, Firefly, and Volcana boxed in! Wonder Woman meet us there” She could hear Hawkgirl, “On it!” Flash looked back at Cassie, “Sorry, actually that’s not a bad idea, can you scan the surrounding area-” She didn’t even wait, “Of course but there’s-” He cut her off, “Great just send the coordinates when you’re finished. Flash out.” His, Superman’s and Wonder Woman’s screens were cut off. She was a little more perturbed than intended, “They’re not the target!” Batman and J’onn heard her and Batman responded, “I know. Everything I’ve seen so far points to Joker. You’ll need to do better than that. Go get their coordinates and come back when you have new information.” Before J’onn could respond Batman clicked them out. This was going to be an immensely longer night.  
J’onn and Batman were surveying the blast and were making their way into the isolation room. J’onn braved to discuss Batman’s harshness towards Cassie, “You could have given her a chance to give more details.” Batman basically had rolled his eyes, “I don’t have to do anything for her, she is not a member of this team. If she wants to prove she’s worthy of being here she’ll have to show me something other than being part Martain. I’m not here to cater to your crush’s feelings.” J’onn was stunned, Batman always spoke his mind but this time he seemed to take everything with Cassie one step further. He remained silent. There was work to be done and this was not helping. Batman realized he had crossed a line but refused to apologize. If J’onn could not take it now things would only get worse. He did note that there was something about Cassie that ate at him more than it should have. He wanted to push her and see how far she could go.  
Cassie went back to work, “Computer, scan police radios for anything pertaining to escapees locations.” “Scanning radios. Still searching for any audio files from Arkham Asylum.” Cassie frustratedly put her hands on her head, “Thanks.” The computer chimed in, “I did not receive that command.” Cassie realized she was talking to the software, “No command.” She was gonna need some information and fast if she was going to be of any use. She clicked back into her com to listen to the team. She heard Superman and Hawkgirl in the midst of their fight and Batman asking if Joker was among any of the others. There was still no sight of him or Harley. They must have been warned to play it low, slip out the back so to speak. She went back to the enhanced video and tried her best to read Joker’s lips while she waited for audio. She played the conversation but reading lips, even Joker’s painted ones was difficult, that was until he unmistakably said her name questioningly. She paused and rewound and played it again. Perhaps she was tired but it seemed pretty plain as day. Was this attached to the Blue Being? This felt too sloppy for him though, it was as if this being wanted to found, wanted to get the villains easily recaught. What kind of chess move of his would involve a low life like the Joker? She barely knew anything about him besides what the papers said, he was an insane clown who’s jokes involved the death of others. She knew that he and Batman were constantly at odds, some would even say that the Joker was obsessed with Batman, but most people kept that kind of comments to themselves. She rewound the footage back to when the being first entered the room and went to the computer right away, no hesitation. How would he have that knowledge? Unless…  
J’onn was impressed with the scene before them, it was clear that the wall was blown open from the inside but that meant whoever freed them got in without breaking the walls down to get in. While Batman was scanning the explosive J’onn went over by the inside door that was left swinging open. He placed his hand over it, not sure if there was anything to the action but it seemed fitting. He thought it was Batman coming up behind him until at the last moment he felt a slight prick as if from a needle in his neck. He sharply turned around but it appeared no one was there. He held the spot on his neck. He had apparently let a shout of pain that had Batman running to him, “J’onn, is everything okay?” J’onn was scanning the room, nothing. It was only them in the room, his eyes stopped glowing and he turned to Batman, “I cannot help but sense that we are not the only ones here but I don’t have proof. Perhaps I am more distracted than I should be.” Batman noticed that J’onn was holding his neck, “We’ll be done soon. Did you get stung by a bee or something?” J’onn released his neck, “Perhaps.” Something was definitely off. 

Cassie started barking commands,”Computer, pull up any records from the last six months of any new employees at the Asylum.” Almost instantly,“Zero results.” “Last year?” “Zero results.” “Well at least job turnover was low…” The computer chimed in, “Command not received. Coordinates for inmates have been retrieved.” At least there was some good news. “Computer send results to the team.” “Sent.” Cassie turned to a blank screen, “Please display results.” Part of the team was at an abandoned warehouse and she saw Flash who clicked into com with her, “Thanks Cassie we got the coordinates, we’re splitting up, still nothing on Joker and Harley?” Cassie shook her head, “No one has eyes, I’m still working on it.” She could hear Green Lantern in the background, “Let’s go the cops can barely contain them!” Flash winked, “Catch ya on the flip side!” His com clicked out. She watched the feed of J’onn and Batman and was careful to keep audio off on her end. She watched as J’onn shifted his appearance to go out to talk to those who claimed to have witnessed the scene. It sparked an idea. She mustered all her courage to brave dealing with Batman, again. She clicked in on com, “Cassie to Batman.” Batman was working at the busted computer terminal when she called and without stopping what he was doing replied, “I’m rather busy.” Cassie ignored his disdained tone,“It’s a shapeshifter, capable of phasing, sort of like a Martian.” Batman was callous in his response, “Your conclusion is a martian then? Because I’m talking to one and the other-” Her frustration was rising and she cut him off, “No, whoever did this left a trail in the surveillance video, a shadow that you can visually track. I’ll send you the clips I’m referring to.” He replied matter of factly, “No, I already did a cursory look through of the videos. I merely saw the results of the actions; bent bars, a torn through computer terminal and the bomb being placed.” She became perplexed, “I don’t understand, I can see it plain as day.” His impatient fatherly tone kicked in, “Perhaps this was all a bit too much for you.” She did not want to lose this fight, “No, look- I don’t know why you can’t see it, maybe the copies don’t show it but whoever is behind this knew the asylum like the back of their hand. There was no hesitation with any part of this plan and they knew where Joker was before Harley even found him.” Batman was not willing to let Cassie in on the fact that he was mildly impressed with her diligence, “You think this person was working on the inside, before the break?” She tried not to speed through her words, “Yes, I cross-checked any records of new employees but there are none for over a year. How else could anyone case the place unless, they took over for someone already there? Have they accounted for all the guards from the breakout?” Batman stopped what he was doing and seemed to be adding a log note, “I’ll look into it. Anything else?” She hesitated and watched her words carefully, “Joker and our unknown had a conversation, at least Joker’s body language suggested so. The computer is having a hard time scavenging for audio and I can barely read Joker’s lips. Know anyone who can?” This definitely caught his interest, “Send me the time stamp, I have a contact at Gotham PD who should be able to help.” She contained her nervousness, “Will do. Cassie out.” She rewound the clip, “Highlight, cut and send file to Batman.” The female monotone voice responded, “Sent.”  
She glanced at the other parts of the screen and it seemed that most of the leaguers were wrapping up with taking out the other inmates and there was still nothing that they could go on to find Joker or Harley. She went back to flipping through camera angles at the asylum, maybe she could try to track him the long way. “Computer, piece together footage following Joker from breakout onward.” “Working, no audio was found that matching criteria for isolation cell.” Cassie sat down in the main chair and let out a heavy sigh, “Of course not.” As the video files started piling in she looked back at the league. To the untrained eye they looked abundantly full of energy but to her, she could see the exhaustion creeping in on all of them. She listened in on coms, Superman was going to do the media follow up and the other members were going home, meaning J’onn, Hawkgirl and Wonder Woman were the only ones coming back to the tower. Batman was continuing to work, especially with the Joker still at large. She had no desire to stop either. She wanted to know more, and that meant catching Joker and Harley. She started sifting through the footage from when the bomb went off, watched as the two took climbed out and saw what few brave guards lingered in the yard were taken out before Joker and Harley had even begun to reach them. The two skipped past the chaos in joyful glee. She switched to the outside camera when they had arrived at the outer courtyard when the glitch figure she had been tracking approached the camera and killed the feed. She nearly slammed her fist through the table. How much legwork did this guy do? She tore through the other camera feeds from the yard till she was able to catch a glimpse of them running along the outside wall heading towards the river. She flipped the camera feeds to the pathway along the river and for a moment it did not catch anything till finally the two were breezed by skipping. She started a new footage list of all surveillance cameras along the river and started digging through it, She lost all track of time and her surroundings. She was fixated, what did they have to do with her? What was the next move in this game? What or who was this mysterious figure.  
As Cassie was digging through footage J’onn and the others had arrived back at the station. J’onn felt every last bit of his mind and body sore, exhausted, mildly warm as if almost in a fever, and wanted nothing more than to sleep. However, as he walked past the back of the command station he could sense Cassie’s presence. He was unable to focus enough to phase through and took the lift instead. The doors opened and she did not move or acknowledge him. She had her head propped on her arm as the screen continued to run through what appeared to be outdoor camera footage of the Gotham River. He came up behind her and cleared his throat but there was no response from her. He moved in closer and realized she was completely passed out asleep. His com chimed in, “J’onn, it’s Batman. Is Cassie still at the command desk?” He stepped away and quietly responded, “Asleep but here.” Batman tried to hold back his heavy sigh of relief, “That explains her radio silence. I’ll catch her up when she comes down to make the funeral arrangements. I’m sending you the coordinates now. I think it’s best you both get some rest. Alert me in the morning when you are on your way.” He could not let go of the catch her up part, “Catch her up on what?” Batman realized that he and Cassie had been working without the rest of the team involved, “She’s been working with me on solving how this happened and why the Joker was the real target. Look there’s not much more to be discussed for tonight, I’ll fill you in tomorrow. Batman out.” J’onn could not help but feel a little pride for Cassie, she had impressed her biggest critic, though he would never say it.  
He went back to her and she had barely moved. He debated whether to wake her or to carry her back. He decided it might be simpler to lift her. He achingly pulled her up noticing that he had seemed to lose more strength than before. He brought her up to his chest and she was completely dead weight and if he did not know any better, he would have thought she was dead because of how hard she slept. He started for the lift and headed down to their floor. She gently turned herself more into him and whatever will he had left to distance himself from her was breaking. For only having been with them a few cycles she was quickly winning the team over to herself. If the team’s final decision was to not to allow her in...he dared not to think. He let the thoughts drift away as his own eyes began to droop and he made his way to her door. It opened with ease and he gingerly laid her down on the bed and pulled the blanket over her.   
How many times had he done this very gesture for his wife or especially his child? What was it about women that made them push so hard up to the very last possible second? Their strength always amazed him and was surprised how they were considered the weaker sex on Earth. On Mars, both genders were feared for their own strengths and all were taught how only when coming together nothing was impossible. He slipped back out of her room and crawled into his own bed. He literally blacked out as soon as his head hit the pillow.


	9. Chapter 6 Part 3: How Heroes Say Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still pretty rough of a draft but I wanted to get it out regardless lol

Cassie could barely breath, Dr. Drake had her pinned to the wall. His breath was hot against her ear as he hissed, “You will never escape my grasp.” His hand tightened around her throat and her right wrist he had pinned against the wall. She tried to calm her mind even though her lungs were screaming for air, she needed to find a way to overpower him or focus hard enough to phase out. He continued, “You killed me but a part of me is now forever locked in here with you.” The room around them went red and she realized this was a nightmare. She snapped awake. Her eyes ripped open and she jolted up gasping for air. Her skin was cold and clammy. She pulled her knees against her chest to try and steady herself. Slowly she realized she was back in her room and was confused given last she knew she was looking at surveillance footage at command. The team must have found her asleep at the console. They, well, most likely, J’onn, must have brought her back. She turned on her screen, it had only been three hours since they were wrapping up the incident. She had no desire to go back to sleep, not when there was a possibility he would be there to greet her again. She decided to head back to the command station. As she swung her legs over the edge of the bed she was hit with a strong psychic force nearly knocking her over. Her head was filled with brief flashes of what was Mars? She pushed through the pain and leaned against the wall her and J’onn shared trying to listen. He was mumbling something she could not understand but the yell that came soon after pushed her to action. She tried to reach him telepathically but it was as if his mind was blocked from her. She tried calling out his name out loud but it fell on deaf ears. Panic was beginning to set in because she should have easily been able to reach his mind in a dream state. She went out of her room and started buzzing and banging on his door, “J’onn! It’s Cassie! You need to wake up!” His shouts were getting louder and she caught, “Myriah! Oh, gods! K'hym you have to run!” Cassie was not reaching him and the door would not budge. She laid her hands on the steel, she needed to phase in and she hoped her fear was enough to trigger the ability. Another yell from J’onn startled her and suddenly she was inside the room. Her face was planted on the floor but she was in none the less. In the dim light she could see him thrashing around she was careful to approach and was still calling out to him, “J’onn, you’re in a nightmare! You need to wake up!” He was still trapped in his mind, she was going to have to make contact and force her way into his mind. She dodged his long limbs and just as she was about to reach his temples his elbow knocked her hard into the left cheekbone. The pain was blinding and disoriented her briefly but she had to keep going. Her fingers found his temples and she started to concentrate. She noted for the first time he felt warm under her fingertips. 

Upon trying to enter his mind there was a wall of flames blocking her. She had never seen anything like it but it was shielding his mind from anyone reaching him. She remembered how Martians were terrified of fire and wondered if this was an attempted to keep him locked in his mind. She inhaled deeply and reminded herself that no matter what she saw it was not real, that this was all in his mind. She put her hand to the flames, closed her eyes and walked through. She slowly opened her eyes and was unscathed. On the other side was the Martian fields that he had brought her to earlier that night, only everything was torn apart or up in flames. The White Martians had invaded and the skies were filled with black smoke. Where she once heard laughter she now heard screams and further ahead gunshots could be heard. Mars never stood a chance. The air was thick with the smell of death and it filled her lungs. She wanted to break down and cry but she held back, she had to find J’onn. She followed the path they had taken, back to the door that haunted his mind. As she got closer to the now toppled over buildings she realized the red planet now ran with the blood of its children. Bodies were scattered everywhere and White Martian troopers were rounding up survivors. She closed her eyes, it was not real, at least not in real time, this was a tragic nightmare, a reality that was set in stone in history and she could do nothing to change it and that mourning them now would not save J’onn. She pressed on and what was left of his home laid in ruins throughout the street. Amid the rubble was J’onn. He was knelt down with what must have been his wife dead next to him and his daughter limp in his arms. Martians cannot produce tears like humans and in extreme grief, they often bleed from their eyes. Cassie never saw her father do it but after her mother’s death, she noticed the trash-filled with bloody tissues. Alarmed she had inquired about them and D’carr painfully explained the reality that only in extreme circumstances did such a thing occur. J’onn’s eyes were more than the usual red and his green skin had streaks of blood running down. She gently approached and he did not acknowledge her presence. She knelt down and carefully placed her hands on top of his. Tears began to run from her eyes, _‘I’m so sorry, J’onn, my God, I’m so sorry.’_ He finally locked eyes with her and slowly he began to sober up. His next words were hollow, emptied of any ability to express emotion, _I am in a nightmare?’_ She squeezed his hands a little tighter, _’Yes, this was the only I could get to you.’_ He looked back to his daughter and wife as the world around them slowly started to fade away to black. His wife slowly dissipated followed by his daughter in his arms. The fire that was raging began to die down around his mind. Cassie fully took his hands and waited for him to look back at her. He was taking in deep breaths and trying to calm himself and regain control of himself. His mind was exhausted and as what felt like a fever breaking he started to collapse towards Cassie who caught him. His head rested on her shoulder as the rest of him felt limp or numb. She held onto him waiting until he could find the strength to move again. The silence was as deafening as the screams had been. She tried to remember the song that her mother would hum to her when she was struggling with her telepathic abilities. She started to hum softly, Amazing Grace. Her parents were not your typical religious family but her mother loved the old church hymns from her youth and often would hum or sing quietly to them.  
Cassie forgot how time was irrelevant when in one’s mind and she had no idea how long the two of them sat there like that. She could feel his tears dry up against her shoulder and he was attempting to quietly hum back but he was still coming to. He was slowly coming back to and he was able to pull himself up from her arms, _’I believe I am overdue for waking up.’_ She nodded and quietly stepped out his mind. 

Her eyes slide open and she still had her fingers against his temples, leaning over him. His hands in the struggle had apparently gripped her forearms. As he stirred his grip loosened and she was able to release her hands and sat on the end edge of his bed. He was groaning and she could not imagine a headache he must have. He slowly pulled himself up to a sitting position. His head rested in his hands for a moment till he reached for the bedside light. He was still very groggy and was struggling to fully wake up.   
Cassie knew there was Something extremely wrong with this whole situation, a strong telepath like himself should have easily come out of a sleep like that and he should have been able to recognize it as a nightmare. She also knew that she was just as strong and barely broke through to him. He finally looked at her and noticed the now swollen and dark purple lump just under her left eye, “What happened?” Her hand went to where he was staring and sheepishly responded, “It’s nothing, it will heal.” His voice dropped, “I did that, did I not?” She tried to soften the blow, “You were unconscious and are not responsible for that.” He slowly moved and sat on the edge of the bed next to her, “I am sorry-” She raised a hand stopping him, “Let's never speak of it again. I’m concerned at how entrapped you were in that nightmare. Has this ever happen to you before?” He let out a heavy sigh, “Nothing as extreme as this.” He leaned his head forward into his hands and something on his neck caught the light. She almost mistook it for a sweat droplet it was so small but she could not let it go, “Don't move.” She gingerly brushed her fingertips near it, something was stuck into his skin, “We need to take you to med lab.” He tried to stay still, “I don’t understand, what did you find?” She tried to keep herself calm, “I think you were poisoned with something, there's a tip almost like a bee stinger stuck in the back of your neck.” She got up and he tried to rise but was still sluggish. She took his arm over her shoulders and helped him up taking the weight of him as they slowly made their way to the med bay. She noticed he was paler than she had ever seen which caused her to quicken her pace. They reached the bay and he sat down on one of the tables. Cassie barked, “Computer?” The bay table computer lit up, “Command?” Cassie was tearing through drawers and cabinets trying to find tweezers and a clean container to put the object in she snapped back, “Need blood panel comparison for J’onn J’onzz, also an IV line.” The computer indifferent responded, “Prepping.” She finally found the supplies she needed and went back to him. He was becoming more coherent and most likely whatever was in his system was working its way out. She was still trying to maintain an air of calm, “Hold still.” She took the tweezers and pulled the metal tip out, he barely flinched. She dropped it into a tube and brought it to the computer terminal, “Computer also in need of a foreign object scan.” “Scanning. J’onzz information downloaded into the handheld, ready for the new blood sample. IV line ready to attach.” She looked at J'onn, “Hand scanner?” He pointed just above his table attached to the wall of the computer system was what looked like a scanner from a grocery store mixed with a tablet computer. She went to it and stared at it noting how to hold it and where the needle was before taking it off the wall. If he was not so exhausted he would have found this to be quite amusing. She looked it over then pointed it at him and pulled the trigger, a laser-like beam came out and created a line across him. As she moved it down over him data came back, filling the small screen on the top of it. The computer chimed in, “Data received. Administer needle.” She went to his arm, “Sorry.” He offered it to her and she was quick to put the needle in and get the sample. She placed it back on the wall and it was locked as while the computer took the data from it. She turned back to him, “Lay down and try to relax. Should I notify the others?” As he lied down and the computer began the IV hook up he was careful not to let go of her eyes, “No, at least, not until they have been able to sleep. There is not much for them to do regardless.” It dawned on Cassie, “What if they were hit with this as well?” He tried to close his eyes and remember the night, “No, I have reason to believe it was only me. While at Arkham I thought I was bitten by something and brushed it off as nothing.Clearly, that is not the case.” She pulled up a chair next to him, “Batman and I believe that the being behind this is a shapeshifter like us. The tapes picked up a shadow moving and causing most of the events but oddly enough only I could see it. Like only another trained set of eye accustomed to shifting would possibly catch it. Whoever it was wanted Joker, everything else was a distraction.” He was starting to drop out on her, “That is what you were looking through...at the command deck.” She smiled, “I believe I owe you a thank you. Now, try to get some rest, I'll be right here if anything happens.” He still fought to stay awake, to try and talk to her but all he could do was mumble, “I have reason to believe... encountered this before…” Before she could press him he was out again. The monitor lit up and the computer spoke up, “Signs of previous fever gone, body functions returning to normal.” 

Cassie finally felt the adrenaline rush she was on wear out and her face started to throb. She sought out a cold pack and placed it on her face. She made sure her chair was as close as possible to him so that she could keep her good eye on the monitor. The computer was having a hard time recognizing the foreign material and after an hour went by there were still no results. She thoughts wrestled with his last statement and she could not help but wonder if her third martian theory was actually plausible. “Computer, please bring up all records of Mars and martian life.” “Compiling. Standby.” She could not help but wish her father were there. He was a Martian biologist and his knowledge right now would have been helpful. The computer screen lit up with the blood analysis and she started scrolling through it. Whatever was in the dart was mostly broken down and flushing out of his system which was a relief. She enlarged the molecule makeup of the poison. Her father had pushed her hard to study the sciences, perhaps he somehow knew one day she would be doing something just like this. After he died she spent much of her downtime collecting and studying biology textbooks in an effort to keep him with her. College was never going to be an option for her but she tried to glean as much as she could from whatever she could get her hands on. It was why the flower shop position interested her, it allowed her to maintain a low profile but allowed her to explore a little bit of botany and organic chemistry. Her father felt close to her even though she’d never see him again. His hand twitched pulling her back out of her thoughts but he remained relaxed. She went back to the molecule structure and it was unlike anything she had ever seen. Whatever this was it could not be of Earth origin. She did notice the overall structure looked familiar, however, much like a...like a virus? She went back to J’onn’s blood work. Martians did not have veins or cell structures like humans, it was more fluid allowing the body to break down on the molecular level for shape-shifting and phasing so she would not find a typical high white blood cell count but there had to be some sort of biological response to a virus that allowed them to stay healthy. She pulled up past blood work samples looking for comparisons and anything that could be elevated. He had flushed green color, he clearly needed rest, the rise in body temperature, and there was her answer. There was a surge in what was labeled as clear fluid. “Computer, what is the basis for clear fluid in Martian bloodstreams?” “Question does not compute, please try again.” Of course not that would be too easy. She pulled up his medical history file looking for logs of being sick or possible transfusions but there was none. His regenerative properties must have been faster than anything Earth could throw at him. Maybe that was the increase? Did more fluid allow the cells to shift and export foreign matter? She could feel a massive headache crawling its way up from the back of her neck and sat back down. “Computer, what is the composition of the dart?” “Trace amounts of magnesium, structure made from titanium hollowed out tip connected to small pill size hollow container. No definitive markings detected.” All minerals found on Earth but the sophistication of it surprised her. She inquired again, “Computer, scan any documentation surround Mars or Martian biology crossed with viruses.” The computer coldly replied, “Working.” Why would someone so advanced who could create such an intricate design need the Joker? She just wanted to see the whole game board but she could only see the moves as they were made. She started to feel the room spin and gently rested her head on her arm next to his allowing him to brush her if he should suddenly wake up or have another nightmare. Her mind was still swimming with more questions than answers until she finally gave in and fell asleep. 

At Gotham PD, Batman waited on the roof for Commissioner Gordon to come back with the lip reading notes from the Joker video. He had underestimated the value that Cassie could bring to the team. She had more intuition and a thirst to understand that rivaled possibly his own. He would never admit it but she was possibly growing on him and he wanted to get her into training and see her full set of skills at work. They knew only her tragic parts of her story but they had no idea the depth of her knowledge and how her mind processed that information. She was a bit rash in jumping to conclusions and not as thorough in her research but that was easy enough to teach. If Joker was indeed talking to someone there was a much larger plan at hand but what could Joker possibly offer this being? It was apparent, they controlled the whole break in so that only what was seen was what they wanted so why pick such a clown? There was a hidden motive and it was keeping Batman wide awake. Gordon came out the door and Batman jumped down from the ledge he was perched on. Gordon was holding the file and seemed perplexed. “Well I’ve got the transcript but who was Joker talking to? I know he’s insane but even this conversation seems beyond him.” Batman took the file, “I don’t know Jim, that’s what we’re trying to solve.” He started to walk away when Gordon stopped him, “Who is Cassie?” Batman raised an eyebrow, “She was recently taken in by the league. How do you-” Gordon pointed to the file, “She had better be ready because whatever those two talked about she’s now on Joker’s radar.” Batman opened the file and quickly scanned through the transcript, “Have rounds check down by the river, that’s where his trail went cold.” Gordon turned to light a cigarette even though he had promised his wife to quit, it was times like this that his resolve was broken, “I’ll send them but Joker is about as hard to catch as-” He looked up and Batman was gone, “You.” 

Batman drove as fast as he could back to the bat cave so that he could tear through the transcript. Cassie’s far-fetched hunch was becoming more like fact. Whoever broke Joker free knew of her even though she has been kept in secret. It was hard enough suppressing any information leaking out about her after the Star Labs incident and the mess that was left of Dr. Drake. Either this person had been involved at Star Labs or was connected to this being from her repressed memories. Everything was pointing to her and he would not sacrifice Earth or the team for her, they did however, need to teach her how to fight and control her abilities because no matter what this was, it was going to eventually end in a showdown between her and this being and as heroes they owed it to her to set her up to defeat him. The first rays of light were starting to peak in the sky, apparently, it was going to be another sleepless night. He parked in the cave and took the file to his operations desk and sitting next to his main chair was an already hot fresh cup of coffee, what would he do without Alfred? He pulled the mask off and started reading through. There was going to be much more to discuss than funeral arrangements, unfortunately. 

The Watchtower started to go into its morning cycle and the streaks of sunlight danced over the eastern hemisphere. J’onn started to stir, he could not remember a time he had literally dropped out and welcomed the deep dreamless slumber. He realized his left hand felt warmer than the rest of him and he glanced over. Cassie slept next to him with her head just gently touching his hand. He noticed that the face was already healing and much of the swelling had gone down though, the purple eye was going to take more time. He just laid there allowing her to sleep when the computer lit up, “Search for files for Mars or Martian biology crosses with virus yielded no results.” Cassie did not budge apparently, exhaustion had completely won this fight but why was she researching Mars? He realized that what he thought he was only saying to himself she must have heard as well. This virus, for a lack of a better word, was familiar to him, it was the reason his brother was banned from Mars and sent to the furthest penitentiary from Earth on Oa, a place for the criminally insane. He looked up above on the computer monitor and it appeared Cassie was already suspecting the same thing, that this was not a poison but a virus genetically modified for Martian anatomy. He had to reach out to Oa and confirm his brother was still safely locked away or if not, dead. How was he going to tell the others? He would eventually have to share his knowledge on the matter at the very least with Cassie. She was also at great risk of the virus affecting her. The virus spread through telepathic links. He thought about earlier that night, how she was not only telepathically connected but physically connected to him and she did not appear to have contracted it, not like on Mars.

How could he ever forget such a day? Nearly a third of the Martian race would have been wiped out if he had not found his brother’s plans and stopped him. Arresting his own brother was one of the hardest things he had to do. Growing up, they were each other’s constant support but somehow right under his nose, his brother had become agitated with Martian life especially because he was born without telepathic abilities which for most Martians it was seen as a death sentence. They hated, feared, and greatly misunderstood his brother. No one knew why he was born different but they appeared to go out of their way to make his life devoid of any physical contact or emotional friendship. J’onn never let his difference bother him, perhaps that is why his Earth family did not bother him, he was already adjusted to not always being telepathically linked to those he cared about. He learned the hard way that not everyone you love will always be persuaded away from deeper hate and wounds. His brother sought to hurt those that had hurt him by creating a virus that attacked the one thing he could never have, telepathic abilities. He was prepared to watch all of Mars burn from the inside out until J’onn had been exposed to it. His brother worked feverishly to find a cure, which is how they discovered D’carr’s Martian biology journal and notes among other archived materials. Without those notes, J’onn would have died twice, then and when the White Martians invaded. The full circle of now being with D’carr’s daughter made his head spin, it was very much a divine intervention. The only problem was the organic material needed to make the cure was wiped out after the invasion and he had never thought he would have to recreate it. He suspected this was only a test dose because it was too small a sample but if Cassie had not intervened he may have been trapped in his mind till his body wore itself out and died. The fire which is how the virus is seen through in the mind literally ends with the internal body temperature rising until the mind burns out. It was a hellish way to go. His fingers twitched at the thought of it.

He realized his movement and hoped he had not woken her but unfortunately she began to stir, “J’onn? Is everything alright?” He let his hand move to hers, “I’m fine, thanks to you. Perhaps you should rest?” Her right eye slowly opened but her left eye struggled a little over the bruising, the headache was still there but she managed to fake a smile, “I’ll be alright. Nothing two aspirins and some breakfast can’t cure.” She slowly brought her head up and looked him over. He had returned to his normal color and there was a bit of an extra spark to his eyes. They both knew the other was holding back information and for a moment neither knew how to start the conversation. Cassie looked up at the computer above him and tried to focus on what her greatest concern was, “You said you were familiar with this? It’s a virus isn’t it?” He would not look her in the eye as guilt flooded him, “It is a virus, one I thought was long gone.” She sought his face for more but he remained silent and she had no idea whether to push for more or let it be. The silence grew uncomfortable and she wanted to be out of the lab. Her fingertips softly tightened around his, “Why don’t we continue this discussion over breakfast?” He still refused to make eye contact with her, “Martians do not need to eat as humans-” Her eye roll could not be any larger, “Humor me then?” He quizzically looked at her, “Humor you?” She realized he was still probably too new to Earth slang, “It means, do it for me then.” He slowly sat up and the IV detached itself, “I will, humor you then.” The phrase coming out of his mouth felt so unnatural and made her chuckle which in turn caused more pain from the headache and grabbing for her head, “Where is the aspirin kept around here?” She started to stand but the pain was blinding and she caught herself on the bed. He went to steady her but she brushed him off, “I’m fine, really. It’s gonna take a minute but I’ve got this.” She tried to smirk at him and keep the mood light, “I’ve gotta toughen up anyways before any sort of training, right?” He let that one go and got up for the medicine cabinet and pulled out a bottle of the much need little white pills and a glass of water. As he Presented them to her, “You are fortunate that Batman and Green Lantern are often in need of these.” She took two and chugged it down with water and sarcastically remarked, “Perks of being human, I suppose.” 

Batman was on his third cup of coffee as his eyes could not grasp the words in front of him. The transcript was alarming. Whoever Joker was talking to wanted access to the docks so that they could bring in biological and mechanical materials. Joker seemed over-eager to be involved then sadly disappointed after this being said something, his response was “Why is it you get all the fun while I send the league on a wild goose chase? Do you know who I am?” As the being spoke Joker’s facial expressions went from angered pride, to understanding, then to wide-eyed glee. His next words were chilling, “But who is Cassie? Why she’s some new playmate I haven't met yet!” The being must have been short with him, “Well, I'll be. It would be my pleasure to help you destroy the team-” He let out his typical hyena-like laughter, “It’s been a pleasure discussing business with you, old Bats won't know what hit him! I look forward to meeting this peach, Cassie real soon!” There must have been no response, “Well, tata to you as well! Humph...what an odd fella, wonder why he was hiding? How odd.” Batman was going to have to do a stakeout at the docks but the way things were escalating it he was going to have to bring the team in on it. There was no peace for Cassie and everything was going to get much worse for her. 

Batman rubbed his eyes and needed to take a break from the transcript. He went to the back part of the cave where Cassie’s parents’ cryotubes were hooked up. They were prepared for viewing and Alfred had a funeral home on standby to accommodate a same day request, no questions asked. They both agreed to offer to have her family buried next to his in the Wayne family graveyard at the far end of the backyard. She had no home, an orphan like himself, and he saw so much of himself burning in her eyes. There was still hope for her though, there was a chance for her to regain the light in herself and even maintain some semblance of a normal life, something that he would never have. He did not want her to end up like him. He almost smirked, here he was being protective of her like a child and yet she was nearly the same age as him. His thoughts were drawn back to the transcript and he debated whether to keep everything under his hat till after her parents were buried or put everything out in the open for her? He went back to the cave’s computer control and glanced through the security feeds from the watchtower. Cassie and J’onn were in the kitchen but both were silent, neither willing to speak. They did not need any more weight on their shoulders just yet. He went in search of Alfred and to get ready for J’onn and Cassie’s arrival.

A room, the kitchen, that Cassie had always associated with warmth could not have been any colder. It was apparent that both of them had so much on their mind but neither could find the words or courage to say it. She mindlessly grabbed the ingredients for what was her favorite breakfast comfort food, french toast. She could not remember the last time she had French toast but it had to have been before her mother’s death. J’onn began to watch what she was doing a little too close for comfort. He was curious how putting eggs and bread together made anything appetizing. Forgetting for a brief moment the horrible truth he was about to bear he started asking questions about what she was doing. Trying to explain to J’onn what she was doing and dealing with his thousands of questions like, why was it called French toast, made her a bit crazy but when he took a bite of a finished piece his eyes lit up. She stood in pride, “You may not need human food but you don't realize what you're missing.” He only nodded as he chewed, she could not help but laugh at his expression, and for a brief moment life felt normal, she had not realized how much she missed that feeling. She placed the plate down on a nearby table and suddenly felt dizzy again sending her into the chair, a reminder that nothing was normal and that she would not be allowed to be normal again. J'onn sat down across from her concerned why she had suddenly stopped he gently inquired, “Are you alright?” She looked up to him fighting through staying grounded, “No, but I will be. Pass the syrup and catch me up to speed with this virus we’re dealing with.” As briefly as the joy came into the room it went back out and his countenance dropped again. 

How could he tell her? How could he tell her about his brother, how could he even speak his name again after all this time? She had started into a piece and stopped when he hesitated to answer. Almost in a gentle motherly tone, she coaxed him, “J’onn, you know my darkest moments and you witnessed me kill a man. Yet, you choose to see the light in me and I will always choose to see the light in you. There is not much you can say that would change my opinion. ” He inhaled and looked at her red human eyes that were filled with honesty and hope. He tried to remember the day, “I had a brother, his name was...Ma'alefa'ak. He was born without the ability of telepathy. His defect as most Martians saw it caused them to fear him or even worse cry out for his death.” Cassie put her fork down and gave him her full attention with sincerity, “I’m sorry that must have been awful.” He looked out the window trying to not get caught up in the memories but tell the facts nonetheless, “I loved my brother. I never cared about his difference but it was not enough and the continual ostracizing darkened his heart,” he looked back to her, “Your father’s journals on Martian biology came into my possession after I started training to be a Manhunter. My brother and I had a passion for understanding the complexities of our species and we were foolish enough to think that he could, in turn, one day become telepathic as well. It was never to happen and as we got older hate started to burn inside him towards our race, the telepathic isolation was driving him mad and he wanted others to feel as he did. He began to create the virus from your father’s speculations on how Mars could be overtaken by an outside race. Its designed to attack the telepathic section of the brain causing the mind to perceive it as fire triggering the innate subconscious fear of fire convincing the mind that you are burning up, hence the internal temperature rises. You literally tell your own body to be fire. Inside the mind struggling to cope clings to one moment in time generally a moment when you longed for death. If the Martian is not woken up in time they will literally shape-shift into a fire and internally combust. It can spread through telepathic connection to others and you have to literally break your mind from someone who is infected. The dose given to me last night was lacking the potent ingredient to make it fully destructive possibly because of what is available on Earth. All Martian plants were destroyed in the invasion, but I believe someone is trying to create substitutes with elements here. My brother infected our mother, the one who hated him the most, and in turn, I was infected. My brother may have been a monster but the moment he discovered I was infected he did everything to create an antidote but it’s a two-phase process, you have to administer the antiserum in the bloodstream and then get the martian to realize that everything happening is in their mind and wake up. When I awoke, our parents were burnt alive, I had to watch them go through the final stages of it helplessly. My brother was tried and banished from Mars to live out life in a high-security facility on OA. I cannot describe to you the pain of not only watching my brother murder our parents but to also lose him as well.” He dared to look into Cassie’s eyes and they were like glass with a shimmer of moisture that was welling into them. She slide her hand to his, “I don’t have words, my God, what you have had to endure. I’m...sorry, no one should witness their family being murdered and yet you went through it twice. I understand not wanting to revisit that old wound but we’ll figure this out together. We have too much in common when it comes to pain” Her eyes were filled with compassion and empathy and that was what made her so human, to have a wealth of support and encouragement even after she had lost everything she still had the capacity to carry another’s burden. After a long moment of silence, she pulled her hand away and looked down at the last few bites of the French toast. 

Cassie missed her father so much but to have had his early written work- she dared to inquire about the journal, “You said you were given my father’s work, you don’t by chance-” His words barely came out, “No...they too were destroyed after I used them to create the toxin against the White Martians.” She looked down, “Ah, I see.” The despair in the room was thick and confining and he needed to move to do anything before memories plagued his mind. He got up and touched her plate as if to ask if she was finished, she only nodded. She had been avoiding it all morning, the fact that she was going to see her parents one last time before letting them go. Could she even let them go or would they bear weight in her mind, haunting her?


	10. Chapter 6: Finale Part How Heroes Say Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still not dead yet! So this chapter was difficult to write and to be honest is probably still pretty rough when it comes to editing but I need to push forward and get past this scene. 
> 
> BUT
> 
> Here it is, we finally lay her parents to rest.

Chapter Break  
Batman’s cold and authoritative voice came over the coms snapping Cassie out of her thoughts, “Batman for Cassie, come in.” She looked to J’onn, let out a sigh and clicked in, “Go for Cassie.” His voice was flat, “I sent the coordinates to J’onn when you’re ready.” She responded in the same flatness, “We’re on our way, Cassie out.” She clicked out. J'onn made his way back to her and was about to speak when she cut him off, standing up she exasperated, “I don’t believe I can avoid it any longer.” He understood. They walked down the muted tone hallways which added to the painful silence as they headed for the flight bay. The javelins stood like towers above their heads and looked massive from the ground. They had an impressive sterilized white colored exterior like jet planes do and had smooth glass fronts. A ramp to walk up came down from the one directly in front of them at the center of the transport. The fact that it was basically a sleeker version of a space shuttle surprised her. How could something so powerful become so commonplace for them? She felt like she was in a sci-fi movie, actually, her whole time here felt like one giant sci-fi film. She felt like an alien among aliens and even with J’onn there she still felt out of place. He started the flight sequence for the javelin and before long they were in space, both remained silent wrapped up in their own worlds. How could there be words between them? It was as if the other wanted to say something but at the last second decided better of it. The threat of his brother, the final chapter in dealing with the death of her parents, the inability to move past the death of his family, no, there were no words that could match the depths of their thoughts. 

They landed in a tree-lined field just a few clicks from Wayne Manor in Gotham and disembarked. Cassie stopped dead only after a few steps onto the ground, her thoughts disrupted by experiencing Earth again. She loved inhaling the fresh air and the feeling of grass beneath her feet. There was a light spring breeze that traced over her skin, it was as if the Earth was saying welcome home, reminding her how much she had missed her planet. She could not remember the last time she had the sun shine down on her or hear the faint buzz of the bugs around her. All those months of only knowing the cold lab table and cement floor, of burying all the thoughts and fears that she would never see the outside again burst into one moment and a tear escaped her eye. She walked up to a nearby tree and brought her fingertips up to it, allowing them to gently run over the rough bark. She had given up all hope in that lab and yet here she was experiencing the outdoors again. Her senses went wild taking all of the atmosphere in.

J’onn had been several feet ahead of her unaware that she had started to fall behind. He stopped, turned back looking for her and his heart broke at the sight. In the chaos that ensued since finding her, he had forgotten that she had not seen anything but cold steel and had only breathed pumped in air. Although he was sure the garden helped ease that disassociation from nature, he was sure it was nothing compared to being back on Earth and being in the real sunshine. He watched her for a moment in awe, Earth had never felt comfortable to him, humans were not a species that were particularly warm or friendly to outsiders. Earth was not his home and he had made no effort to make it so, but it was hers. She grew up seeing some of the worst in humanity yet she still loved being back. Perhaps through her eyes, he could see the better side of Earth and humanity? There was a warmth and a glow to her, in the sunshine her appearance had completely changed. A smile crept over his face, it should be her darkest day and yet she had managed to relish in this one blissful moment. 

She caught him watching and she grew embarrassed, “Is there a reason you're staring?” He chuckled and turned around starting to head to the lawn clearing, “I had forgotten how long it had been since you were last outside. In only a few minutes it has done wonders for you.” She tried to swallow her snarky remark, “That’s what happens when you’ve lived in a cage for so long, you can’t replace the full experience of nature, of feeling the Earth beneath you,” She caught up to him, “Sorry, I'm sure the behavior seems odd.” He stopped and looked at her, “You never have to apologize to me. Your actions are endearing if anything.” They continued to the mansion in relative silence till Cassie realized where they were, “I don’t understand, why are we at the Wayne Estate?” She was taken aback by the scale of it, she only knew of it from pictures in articles. The mansion was a dusky red color and must have had over fifty rooms to be so sprawled out across the land. The gardens were well maintained and the lawns were bright green and trimmed. They were walking towards a white marble staircase that leads to a patio out back of the building. She knew Wayne industries carried a large footprint throughout Gotham and Metropolis but why would the Wayne family be involved? J’onn did not answer and allowed her to discover for herself who Batman really was. Her mind kept racking over it till she thought about the last thing Batman had said, _‘Cause you’re not the only one to have witnessed their parents’ deaths.’_ Bruce Wayne, the sole survivor of a mugging gone wrong, watched his parents die. She barely remembered her father reading the headline of the death of the Waynes and how tragic that their son, not much older than herself was alone in the world, an orphan at the age of eight suddenly carrying the weight of a legacy he was barely beginning to understand. They did have much more in common than she had realized.

As they approached the back entrance Alfred and Bruce waited just inside the french doors. Alfred carefully watched the two, “I presume the young woman is the one this is for?” Bruce realized he had not given much of the details to Alfred, “Yes. Her family-” Alfred cut him, “The two downstairs, I understand sir. The two of you share a common thread then. I am grateful to help another orphan and proud of you sir to step up and invest into someone, not yourself.” Bruce raised an eyebrow suspiciously, “Mind elaborating?” Alfred went to swing the door open intentionally ignoring Bruce’s last question, “It appears your guests have arrived.” 

Cassie and J’onn climbed the marble stairs up to the back patio and were greeted by Bruce. Within seconds she knew that he was indeed Batman, there was no mistaking the darkened hero’s telepathic energy around him. How clever of him to have fooled the world for so long, he buried a hero in the womanizing, playboy millionaire. Bruce spoke first, “J’onn, Cassie welcome. If you require anything Alfred will assist you.” He stopped and eyed Cassie’s face suspiciously, “What happened to your eye?” She realized it must have been still bruised from earlier that morning. She decided to play it low key, “It was a brief reaction from a nightmare is all. Should finishing healing soon,” She turned to Alfred, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alfred.” Alfred bowed slightly, “I wish it was under better circumstances.” Her smile faded, she had been ignoring the irony that such a beautiful day was the day she had to let her parents go. J'onn was grateful for her vague covering about the bruise but was concerned about the sudden change in her and pushed forward before she was gone again, “Shall we?” Bruce caught on, “Of course, follow me.” Each room became immense and detailed in furniture and art but also carried the distinct feeling of emptiness. Each room felt devoid of the warmth that comes with the feeling of home. It was as if the mansion was the tomb his parents had left behind. They came to an old grandfather clock in the library and they watched as Bruce seemed to press a hidden mechanism that allowed the clock to move aside revealing a set of descending stairs. Alfred did not follow them allowing them some privacy but stayed close by the staircase if they needed him. 

As they descended Cassie could feel a chilling dampness in the air and she could hear the faint sound of water dripping, the walls became more like bedrock before the stairs opened out onto a jetting of rock that lead to a central area humming with the sound of computers. As the lights slowly came on around them she discovered the vastness of the cavern he had built his base in. She could hear the faint sound of the bats being disturbed by the lights. She knew Batman was known for his gadgets and vehicles but she had never seen anything like the display of his personal workstation. The command center became active and she recognized the system, it was the same as the Watchtower’s. She never even thought to look for a Wayne Enterprises logo, then again he was not the type to leave such evidence around. One large central computer monitor that could be split up into multiple screens by the choice of software consumed the wall in front of them. A half wrap around multi-keyboard panel full of buttons she had never seen surrounded them. Off to the left was a slightly darker corridor leading to what looked like a fridge cellar door. Bruce stopped right in front of the door that from the small window she could make out it lead into a back room. 

He turned to Cassie, “I assume you’ve put two and two-” She cut him off, “Your secret is safe with me.” He looked her in the eyes, “If I had thought otherwise you wouldn’t be here. They’re just beyond the door, I’ll make whatever arrangements you require when you're ready.” She mustered up what courage she had, “I’ve already decided. They’re to be cremated, and if possible, I’d like to plant trees instead of headstones. I’m sorry, I don’t know where-” Bruce placed a hand carefully on her shoulder cutting her off, “Did you have a type in mind?” Tears fought for space in her eyes and she could not look at either of the men before her, “Blossoms, cherry blossoms, a reminder that not all beauty stays dead forever that life is as much a cycle as anything…” Her thoughts trailed off. Bruce went to give her shoulder a light squeeze but thought better of it, “I’ll work on it, stay as long as you need with them. I’ll be right out here if you need anything.” She choked out, “Thank you.” Her hand rested on the door handle, she still could not bring herself to pull it. J’onn gently placed his hand over hers on the handle, “You don’t have to face this alone.” Her tears were just on the brink of breaking through, “No, this one, I do.” He felt her hand pull the handle back and she pushed through the doorway. He stood there hurt and he watched her carefully for any sign of a change of mind but she shut the door behind herself. 

The two pods laid on either side of her and the room felt cold and musty. It was more of a morgue than she anticipated. She went to the first pod on her right and on the side plate was inscribed Mary Mollari, her beautiful compassionate mother. It took all her strength to undo the lock and lift the lid. The cold air blasted her before she could finally see her mother’s form. Her once pale white and red toned skin was now colors of grey and blue. Her eyes were shut as if she was just asleep. The bullet wounds in her abdomen and head were blemishes in her flawless peaceful frozen look. The gash in Mary’s leg Cassie had fumbled to wrap brought her back within seconds to that night. Cassie could smell the corn smoldering as she watched the field light up on fire, the flames surrounding Mary as she stood her final ground. Her mother had given up everything that night, the same mother that taught her to read, tucked her in at night and silenced her fears, all of that time demonstrating what loving without bounds truly meant. She not only loved her daughter but her father, an alien, something so different from herself, knowing that her life would never be the same, gave it all up for him. Cassie’s hand shook as she reached out to brush the few frozen strands of hair from her mother’s forehead. Tears fell gently onto Mary’s skin, softening the frozen edges. Cassie’s voice was cracking, “I’m-I’m so s-sorry...I, oh God, if I only...I-” She leaned in giving her a soft kiss on the forehead and grieved for a minutes before pulling herself back together. She looked at her beautiful mother one last time her words were almost a whisper, “Goodbye...At least you were not alone for long, I...hope...my desire, is to honor your sacrifice every day...thank you for being the best of humanity for me...I-I love you.” She closed the case and closed her eyes as she heard the vacuum seal shut, sucking the air out. Cassie thought about some of her mother’s last words to her father, “I’ll always be right there. In her eyes and in her smile.” Could she ever smile like her mother again? Would there ever be joy again?

Opening her tear filled eyes she moved closer to D’carr’s cryotube. She could not bring herself to open it at first. Her hands rested on the outside of the case trembling. How could she look upon him again, how could she say goodbye to her father? A part of her died that day with him and now she had to find a way to let him go. Shakily her hands made it to the release and it took all her strength to lift the lid. The lid was the heaviest burden she ever had to liberate in her life. As the air cleared she could see his dark green skin and his long frame. His arms were crossed across his chest and she swallowed hard as her eyes refused to look at the destruction over his body. Red tears among the green skin from bullet holes that never healed, the deep slash through his left side of his torso from the helicopter blade, and if she could see his backside it would have been scraped up from crashing into the cement. It was if his long hands covered the worst of it but she knew too well, that the day was burned forever in her mind. She could not bring herself to reach for him as a fresh set of grief washed over her. Recovering she finally dared to place her hand on his frozen temple and she was instantly hit by a telepathic shockwave. She had heard theories that if telepaths existed there was a possibility that there could be a message or a moment that if held tight enough could survive even in death and leave an imprint for another to find. A final whisper, a chance to say goodbye, or a chance to reveal a hidden truth. In a flash, she was back to the worst moment in her life.

THE PAST…  
D’Carr took the first bullet sending him into the concrete on the pier. In that split second he looked at Cassie, the love of his life. In that half a second he knew she was meant for greater things. She was already a walking and breathing miracle, a product of an unimaginable love. It was as if in that moment he saw a hope for humanity in her eyes, a hope he had not felt in a millennium. He knew he could not outrun their pursuers forever he had to offer them something in order to give Cassie a fighting chance. His choice was made and in a definitive tone, he demanded of her, “You have to run, now! Go!” She was as stubborn as Mary. He could hear her thoughts racing as she was terrified but when he heard the second shot he knew he had to get her to run, “GO!” As she ran he did the hardest thing he ever had to do, he broke his connection to her. He never wanted her to know that he chose to die for her. That by not healing himself he was giving his life to buy her time to escape. He knew his death would cut their last ability to track her till she chose to be found. All of his faith in a better world rested in her hands now, perhaps she would save humanity where he failed to save Mars. He could hear her telepathically still calling out to him, she was refusing to let go and his terror rose, _‘Don’t. You have to go! Cassie, you have to live.’_ He could hear Mary gently calling him and his strength was fading fast, his last prayer was that Cassie would become something much greater than either he or Mary could have ever become, _‘I love you.’_

THE PRESENT  
She cried out as those familiar black boots appeared and she snapped out of the connection. Her tears now mixed with blood as her heart wretched in agony. She crumpled to the floor weeping mixed tears into her knees. She did not even hear the door open or J’onn and Bruce approaching, gently asking if she was alright. Neither touched her and J’onn felt the fading of a telepathic connection, an imprint. He was stunned at the existence of one. They were extremely rare even among Martians and generally they were only left in tragic deaths. He briefly looked over D’Carr and nothing was more tragic than this. Both men stood quietly by the door, patiently waiting on her. Bruce noticed the blood and looked to J’onn who shook his head no, knowing his friend was concerned she had injured herself. J’onn was fairly sure with the depth of emotional pain that the Martian trait of blood tears was to blame. It felt as if time stood still as the three barely moved all lost in their thoughts till Alfred came in and quietly pulled Bruce out to discuss Cassie’s arrangements. J’onn used the moment to come closer to Cassie and hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder. She did not move or respond for several minutes.

Her mind kept wrapping itself around her father’s thoughts, he believed she was destined for something great. She had failed him. What had she done with this chance to live but hide away in fear only to have- only to have, killed another. How could someone who had blood on their hands, who lived with so much guilt and shame be someone great? How could she possibly change the world? She had already failed him, she had failed his sacrifice. As if she had not already run out of tears reliving his death, failing him brought on even more.

J’onn felt a new shutter from another wave of grief and cautiously he sat next to her. He noticed how much blood was staining her clothes and he knew that kind of grief too well. He dared to put an arm around her and for a moment she did not move. Finally, she leaned into him but kept her face buried in her knees. They sat in that posture for quite some time. Bruce stepped back in to check on her concerned about the length of time she had been in there. J’onn had continued to hold Cassie and did not acknowledge Bruce coming back into the room. Bruce quietly walked up behind them and leaned in to whisper to J’onn, “Whenever she’s ready the arrangements are made, take your time.” Cassie started to pull her head up from her knees and tried to speak. Both men were shocked at the sight of her blood-soaked skin and her bloodshot eyes. 

She took a deep breath and again tried to speak up but it was a hoarse whisper, “One more moment, then I’ll be ready.” Bruce nodded and stepped back towards the door. She felt the warmth of J’onn next to her but she could not bring herself to look at him. She knew many of the heroes in the league had tragic stories but in that moment she felt the three of them had an unspoken bond of grief. She started to stand but felt so weak her knees nearly buckled. J’onn moved in fast to grab her and hold her steady. She grabbed the edge of the cryo tube and found what little strength was left to stand on her own. J’onn started to move away but her hand slipped down to his silently pleading with him to stay. After the way she had stayed for him during his nightmare of a memory, it was the least he could do. She looked down on D’Carr and placed her free hand over his and gently whispered, “I’m sorry I failed you before. I don’t know if I can ever match your sacrifice but I will never stop trying.” She spoke ‘I love you’ in Martian before placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. J’onn could not believe he was in the presence of the Martian he had so admired, who was responsible for saving him as well. He was able to return the favor by protecting his daughter, the last daughter of Mars. He quietly spoke in Martian, ‘I give my life for her. Her mind and heart I will honor and protect, rest in peace united with the great mind of our fallen brethren, my comrade.’ Cassie looked at him, “The Manhunter Farewell.” He nodded a little surprised she knew that much Martian. Somberly he responded, “No matter what happened on Mars, he will always be honored as part of the Manhunters, that is the least I can do for him.” Cassie squeezed his hand and gently whispered, “Thank you. He would have loved that.” Together they closed the lid and Cassie watched her father disappear before her eyes. She still yearned to cry more but her body was unable to produce more tears of any kind. J’onn quietly led her out of the room as Bruce led them back upstairs to one of the small more comfortable parlors. Alfred had tea freshly brewed and set up for them. J’onn got her seated as Bruce briefly disappeared. The smell of the tea seemed to have a relaxing effect on Cassie. J’onn was about to speak when a now Batman came back in for J’onn to follow him down to aid in moving the bodies.

Cassie looked out the window to her right but was startled at her reflection in the glass. In the sunlight, it became horrifically apparent how bloodied she was. She did not have another outfit to change into but she could at least try to scrub the blood from her hands, arms, and face. She looked to Alfred who had quietly come in and was busying himself with some cleaning. She stood up and whispered, “Is there a restroom nearby?” He stretched out his hand to her, “Of course miss, just this way.” She walked a step behind him as they went down an ornate hallway filled with paintings of the Wayne family history to the restroom. Alfred opened the door for her and was sensitive with his next words, “I took it upon myself to see what clothes were left in storage that might possibly fit you. Take your time miss, I’ll be nearby if you need anything.” His grandfather-like gentleness warmed her empty heart, “Thank you.” 

She must have scrubbed at her hands and face till her currently green skin became red. Once the blood stains were gone, she focused on her reflected image in the mirror, willing herself to look fully human again. It took some time but bit by bit her skin became almost snow white and her eyes to a emerald green. Her height shortened and light brunette hair fell just to her shoulders, she barely recognized her old cover-up look. How many years of hiding, of never showing her true form did she go through? She paused on the thought of true form. When she was born she looked completely human till puberty hit and suddenly her once pale skin was green and her pupils red. True form no longer mattered, she had wasted so many years trying to go back to being fully human only to be caught regardless. She was tired of living in fear, she could feel the flame start to burn, a desire to fight back. She noticed the clothes hanging on the door left by Alfred. There were two outfits, one a dress in black and the other a woman’s cut black pants suit with a black dress shirt. She pulled down the pants suit and slowly changed her outfit. She sat on the tub’s edge not wanting to deal with anyone just yet but have one last moment alone with her thoughts. 

J’onn and Batman barely spoke as they wheeled the cryotubes down the long cavern pathways till they reached a small opening leading to a large field that was at the back of the Wayne property. Waiting there for them were two pine boxes prepped for the bodies and the rest of the league members. Batman released Mary’s lid first and looked to Superman and J’onn to help lift her in. There was something almost filthy about what they were doing but if anyone was to discover these bodies it could be disastrous. J’onn grew uncomfortable as his hands met with the icy texture of her skin and the weight of her frozen dead body. Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl slid the pine lid over and Green Lantern nailed it shut. Flash quickly got rid of the cryotube and no one asked any questions about what he did with it. Batman was fighting back the memories, the pain and agony of his own parents’ caskets and watching the men lift and move them from the viewing to the grave site. He went to D’Carr’s tube and released the lid which bore Cassie’s bloodstains all over the rim. Red crimson blood against his cold green dead body gave an eerie air around D’Carr. J’onn fought back his own grief as he thought about the journals and the warnings. D’Carr was the best of the Manhunters who died for the greatest cause, love. His love was so strong it left an imprint for Cassie to find, a message he believed, she was destined to have. When he said the Manhunter farewell he did not mean Mars, as it typically did, he meant every word for Cassie. No matter the cost, he would protect her. They lifted D’Carr into the pine box and nailed it shut. Hawkgirl, Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman carried Mary’s casket to a bed of prepared wood further in the field followed by D’Carr’s casket carried by J’onn, Batman, and Superman. J’onn could not help but notice the irony of the sun out and the birds chirping, it was if Earth had no taste for death today. Not like on Mars, the day his whole world came crashing down. Once they were set Batman called Alfred, “We’re ready for her.” 

Alfred gently knocked at the bathroom door, “Miss, they are about to begin.” There was nothing left for Cassie to dwell on, she stepped out of the bathroom and followed Alfred silently. She could sense his desire to be able to do more, to say something but she appreciated his solemn silence. As they came to the field Cassie could not help but think of the odd connection to J’onn and Mars. Fire burning through the fields, the death of those they loved, worlds falling apart. Perhaps that is what drew them so close together, maybe two broken worlds could build one world back together. The whole team stood there for hours watching the fire. The first to leave was Flash who gave his condolences and a quick tight hug for Cassie as he dashed off. Not long after him Green Lantern and Hawkgirl left giving their respectful sorrows. Towards the end of the flames, a distress call came in taking Wonder Woman and Superman away. Superman’s condolences were especially touching to Cassie, “We will all honor their sacrifice, to strive for a better more accepting world. You’re never alone, not anymore.” His embrace was filled with warmth. For the strongest man in the world, he was also the most gentle being.

J’onn fought hard not to let the sight of the fire get to him. There was a power to the sight of flames in a field. It scratched at his own unhealed wounds of Mars in flames. He scolded himself because this moment was not about him, he had his opportunity to say goodbye but instead, he held on tight to the baggage of losing his whole world. He glanced over to Cassie, would she be able to let go or would she also hang on to the pain and anger? As if she could hear his thoughts she let her hand brush his and he caught it with his fingers. They were still palms away from each other but their knuckles were locked together, almost holding hands, almost supporting each other. He could see a glimmer of the fire reflected in her eyes, even if she was not aware of it herself, there was a determination burning deep inside her. He was curious what would come out during their training sessions, what kind of power could she wheel if she could control it? He could sense her heart’s coldness and a small shudder to fight back tears. They were all that stood of a race long forgotten, they were walking miracles and yet they both carried a pain only a few truly understand. 

Batman even though he was lost in his own thoughts took note of J’onn’s gently move for Cassie’s hand. Batman was never one for open displays of affection or compassion and he was thankful that J’onn was there. Whatever happened while Cassie was saying her goodbyes, there was now a fire burning inside her. Though she was still wrought with grief on the outside he could see the glimpse of something much greater at work on the inside. He knew that feeling, it was what drove him every day, honoring a sacrifice. If he had sought that over vengeance in the first place, perhaps he would be a tad lighter of a person like Clark. He was past that point, however, brooding, dark, and emotionally separate from others kept him as the watchdog for the watchtower. He had to be the bad cop in a room full of beings that could tear him and Earth apart in seconds. He was so lost in his thoughts he had not realized Cassie had moved closer to him and she braved placed her hand on his arm. He had to stop his reflex to retaliate and instead everything softened at the sight of her and he braved to put an arm around her. 

Alfred watched on as she stood there with her new family, Bruce’s arm around her shoulders and J’onn’s fingers laced with hers and it gave him hope for all three of them. Not only did Cassie stand a chance at redemption and healing but the three of them together could do wonders for one another if they allowed themselves to be open. Alfred always believed in a purpose for everything, even if he did not agree with Bruce’s dark turn to Batman he did acknowledge that Gotham, the world, and now Cassie was all the better for it.

As the fires started to die down Alfred went to check on the gardener and the state of the two cherry blossoms as Cassie collected the ashes. She clung to the planting container as J’onn and Batman silently followed behind her. She managed to find more tears as she put the planter in the ground between the two freshly set in baby trees. Alfred joined them and the four of them stood silently over the small hole in the ground. Cassie could barely speak above a whisper, “I...I...love you, I will carry what you have done for me with every new decision I make. Till we meet again.” It was the beginning of dusk and the sky was filled with shades of red. Part of her smiled, it was as if Mars stood by and watched too. She used what little strength she had left to grab a handful of dirt and pour it over the hole. 

J’onn went next, “Although I did not have the privilege to meet you in this life, I am forever in your debt for saving mine.” He ignored the odd looks from Batman and Alfred and poured his handful of dirt. As he was stepping back to Cassie he was struck with the realization that their lives were so intertwined without either of them fully grasping it. He knew from that moment on he could never lose her, that the last part of him that was still Martian could never lose her. The thought terrified him, they had both already lost everything once how would either of them survive if they had to lose even more? She closed the gap between them and buried her face into his chest. He could feel her tears gently fall onto him and her muscles struggling to keep her upright. Her arms were wrapped around him like a child’s would and he cautiously placed a hand to the back of her head and between her shoulder blades. 

He brought his head down to hers and quietly whispered, “It is alright, let me mourn with you. Let me carry some of the pain as well.” She looked up at him with red-stained eyes in shock, “No. You have your own pain to-” He cut her off, “You’re not alone, you do not have to be anymore. The choice is yours.” They stood there silently as she weighed in on whether to be so open with him. Finally, she put her hand up to his temple and they rested their foreheads together as she opened her mind to him. It felt like a tidal wave had slammed him of grief, doubt, and fear. Her mind was swarming around the thought that she was undeserving of their sacrifice, why should she have been the one to survive? He understood that question too well, he asked it every day since surviving the invasion. As he took in her pain he could feel her breath begin to relax and her shuttering calm down. She gave him more of her weight showing that she was beginning to trust him. As he processed her pain he realized how close they were and what this must look like to Batman. Even for Martians, this was an intimate moment. His thoughts gently nudged hers and he saw her flush with red in embarrassment and she started to pull away. She was stammering, “I’m- we- not...sorry.” Her eyes looked over his shoulder at Batman who was indifferent on the outside but J’onn could sense his concern and frustration. They were undeniably getting too attached to each other, far too quickly. They were both desperate to find someone to go where they’ve gone, experience the grief of a dead race together and go into each other’s minds where no one else can go. When you find someone so broken like yourself, how do you let them go? How do you maintain distance when you are so deeply empathic to what they are going through? 

Batman’s hand had tightly grasped the dirt as he held back any commentary on the scene that unfolded. He glanced over to his parents’ tombstones then spoke, “May we live to honor those who loved us so dearly.” His hand moved robotically as it dropped the dirt over the hole. Cassie’s eyes followed Batman’s to the tombstones and she realized he had buried her family next to his. She walked up to him and put her hand over his that still hovered over the hole. He looked up at her and without words he understood her thank you. The walls he had so carefully built around his heart regarding his parents were crumbling as she looked at him. She somehow managed to see past his cold exterior for what it was, protection. Before he lost all control he broke away from her and stepped back. 

Alfred knew she would unwittingly break down Bruce’s inability to let anyone in. It was only a matter of time before all three of them would undergo changes none of them were ready for. He knew, however, that worthwhile things in life require change. He took the shovel and as the sun finished setting her parents were laid to rest, no longer apart of the chaos of Cassie’s life. Alfred quietly left heading back into the mansion and Batman walked over to his parents’ graves. J’onn received a call from Watchtower and went back to the javelin to begin to prep it for their flight back. Cassie stood alone between the two trees as a light breeze brushed her cheeks. She brought her hand gently to her cheek, “I love you too.” She turned to Batman who was kneeling down talking to the headstones. She quietly approached him as he finished speaking. He stood back up and she embraced him and whispered quietly, “Thank you. I...I-” He cut her off, “It was the least I could do, you’re welcome to come any time to see them. You have a hard road ahead, making any sort of peace with the past is the only way to keep moving forward. Trust me, I know first hand.” They held the moment for just a second longer before she began to feel him get uncomfortable and she backed off. J’onn called over the com, “Cassie, I’m ready when you are.” She looked to Batman as she replied, “I’m on my way.” As she turned to leave he called after her, “I’ll see you on the training floor!” Her mind was swimming in emotions and exhaustion that the thought of training was a distant memory. She wearily got into the javelin and ungracefully fell into her seat, strapped in, and watched outside the window as Earth began to leave her view and she was surrounded by space again. The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was how bright red Mars looked against the blackness of space. 

The others were out on a mission and needed J’onn to be on tower duty so he had no fear of anyone questioning him about carrying a sleeping Cassie back to her room. He placed her in her bed and pulled the blankets up over her. He had not realized that her form had reverted back to her natural green state. She must have drained herself of all energy, then again hadn’t he? He remembered that the first time he could finally grieve he had done so till he had blacked out. Did his grieving ever end or did he just learn to live with the pain, a functioning destroyed being? He felt soft fingers brush his fingers and a single finger rested against Pinkie. She was still sound asleep and yet her subtle gesture reminded him that no matter what the answer was for him she was willing to face it with him.


End file.
